


Âmes Soeurs

by Minew



Category: SHINee
Genre: Friendship, Multi, Romance, soulmate!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-24 09:51:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 84,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9716093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Minew/pseuds/Minew
Summary: Kim Kibum has a soulmate... and then he suddenly has another.





	1. UN

Kibum groans when he enters the apartment complex. He takes the stairs up the four floors before he has to put down the bags of groceries so he can  find the key. It takes a little fumbling before he gets the door open and he holds the door open with his foot while he collects the bags of groceries he had previously sat down before he stumbles into his apartment and the door slams shut behind him. He doesn’t even get to say anything before a muffled voice sounds from the living room. He rolls his eyes and continues into the kitchen, ignoring the other on the couch.

Kibum slowly starts to put the groceries away while he hums the children’s song that has been stuck in his head for the past hour or two. Warm hands curl around his midsection and a body presses closer to his back before he feels the feverish forehead resting against his neck. The smile that spreads on his lips can’t be helped and he pats a hand softly.

“Go to sleep,” he tells the other man and is met with a muffled whine and a groan that sounds like it disagrees. “Your fever hasn’t gone down yet, babe.” The person behind him just buries deeper into his neck as if to hide. Kibum turns around in their hold and puts his hand on either side of the man’s cheeks before he softly kisses his lips. “Jinki, baby, go back to sleep.” Jinki squints at him as if opening his eyes takes too much energy and Kibum just laughs a little before he presses his lips to Jinki’s warm forehead. Jinki reluctantly returns to the couch when Kibum promises to bring food and cuddles as soon as he’s done with putting the groceries away.

Kibum returns to his task and when he finally closes the refrigerator he has hummed Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star about 20 times and it’s still stuck in his head. He warms a soup for Jinki despite knowing the other is not going to eat much of it. Jinki jerks out of his sleep when Kibum places himself on the couch beside the other. Kibum runs his hand over the blanket before he gestures to the soup. Jinki just reaches a weak hand towards Kibum and Kibum takes it without questioning it. 

“You should eat something,” he says and Jinki shakes his head, only to squeeze his eyes shut and press two fingers against his maxillary sinuses to ease the pain. Kibum intertwines their fingers and strokes Jinki’s palm that sports the words  _shit hey come back here_  scarred into his skin. Jinki coughs and buries his head into the pillow in a pathetic groan and Kibum smiles at him and he gives his hand a final squeeze before he gets up. “If you’re not going to eat, at least get some sleep. I love you.” Jinki grabs his elbow when he gets up and Kibum turns to look at him. 

“Sing for me,” he croaks and ends up in another cough and Kibum raises an eyebrow.

“You have a headache,” he says because Jinki always have a horrible headache whenever he has sinusitis. Jinki just looks at him and Kibum ends up sitting down on the couch again. The only song he can remember is Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star and so he sings that softly until Jinki has fallen asleep. Kibum shakes his head fondly at his fiancé before he leaves the living room so he can shower. 

 

Jinki and Kibum met 10 years ago when they were still in high school. Kibum was in his junior year and had just transferred to his new school. His classmates had been interested in the new boy so he hadn’t really had time to be lonely. Kibum had found himself staring at the building across his during class instead of paying attention though. At that time, he hadn’t known that Jinki sat in a classroom, bored out of his mind, and stared towards Kibum. 

They hadn’t met on school grounds however. Kibum had been walking the puppy he had finally begged his parents to buy when he had collided with the senior and the dog had run off down the street. Kibum had automatically exclaimed “Shit!” before realizing that he had lost the dog and then afterwards added ‘Hey! Come back here!”. He had stumbled back on his feet but only when he had tried to run after the dog, had he realized that he couldn’t leave the young man in front of him. “I know you,” the stranger had exclaimed after what seemed like a minute or two. 

The pain as the words burned into the skin between his fourth and fifth rib had been enough for Kibum to realize that it was no accident that they were now standing in front of each other. They were looking at each other, Kibum only now really looking at the other. It felt like a magic bubble captured them for hours but when a scream had brought the two teenagers back it had only been 30 seconds and Kibum’s puppy had been hit by a bicycle. 

 

Kibum wraps a towel around his waist and turns to grab the hair dryer off of the bathroom countertop. _i_ _know you_  moves with the movement and Kibum catches sight of it in the mirror. It’s not often that he stops to look at the words these days. They’ve been there for so long that he doesn’t need the reminder that he really belongs to Jinki anymore. They still make him proud and he smiles to his reflection. At one point he was annoyed with the fact that they had been burned into his skin at his chest while Jinki could flaunt his so easily. That was until Jinki had sat him down and showed him how close the words had been etched to his heart. Ever since then Kibum has appreciated the words on his chest. 

Kibum only gets to turn on the hair dryer when he hears Jinki cough from the living room. The other has sinusitis at least once every year and the doctors haven’t been able to figure out why. Kibum wants to make it better but he can’t. He knows and Jinki knows. At the end of the day, Jinki appreciates it when Kibum is just there and cuddles him. Kibum dries his hair and when he turns it off he finds Jinki in the doorway. 

“Me too,” the other says quietly and Kibum shakes his head fondly. He directs the hair dryer towards Jinki and the other puts his hands up in defense. “Not that.” Kibum laughs a little before he puts it down on the countertop and goes to place his hands on Jinki’s shoulders.

“Come, you can shower tomorrow. You can barely stand on your feet.” With those words he steers Jinki out of the bathroom and into the bedroom and tugs him into bed. Jinki looks at him absolutely defeated and Kibum kisses his forehead and ignores his silent pleas for company. Kibum has things he need to finish before tomorrow. He grabs his bathrobe before he leaves the bedroom.

The towel is exchanged with the bathrobe and Kibum finds himself sipping a bowl of the soup he had cooked earlier reheated while he looks through his social media accounts on his computer. He drops his spoon when he sees a pregnancy announcement on Facebook and grabs his phone so he can call Nicole and scold her for not telling him but letting him see on Facebook. She laughs at him and asks him when he’s going to actually get married to Jinki and he scoffs at her and says goodbye. Kibum knows she means well but they have an entire life to get married in, he isn’t rushing Jinki.

When the small clock on his computer shows 9.53 PM he closes it and yawns. Jinki isn’t sleeping when Kibum slips into the bedroom and he fumbles with Kibum’s bathrobe before Kibum even realizes what’s happening. He can’t help but chuckle when he sees the top of Jinki’s hair sticking out from under the blanket and his hand trying to find the knot that holds his bathrobe together. He grabs Jinki’s hand and squeezes it once, twice before he puts it back on the bed. Jinki whines silently at the loss of contact. 

“I’m coming baby, I just need to find my pajamas,” he whispers and Jinki’s hand flops on the mattress in disagreement. “Jinki…” Kibum says and Jinki flops his hands once again. Kibum gives up after that and sheds his bathrobe so he can climb in naked beside Jinki. Jinki immediately snuggles close to Kibum and Kibum gets comfortable around Jinki. “If I’m sick tomorrow, I’m blaming you.” 

 

Kibum wakes up to a hand around his waist and Jinki snuggled so close Kibum can barely breathe. He wriggles a little and tries to get out of his grip but Jinki only tightens it. His alarm is blaring from his phone on the nightstand and Kibum tries to reach it but Jinki prevents that as well. A full minute of struggling later Kibum sighs and turns around in his hold.

“Jinki, you need to let me go to work,” he deadpans. Jinki groans a little in his sleep and Kibum rolls his eyes before he pokes Jinki in the side. The other releases Kibum a little in his sleepy annoyance but it’s enough for Kibum to wiggle free and get off of the bed. Jinki opens his eyes slowly at the loss of the warm body he’s been holding onto and Kibum sends him a smirk. Jinki still has a slight fever so he stays home but Kibum hasn’t contracted the virus overnight so he hurries into the bathroom so he can get ready for the day. 

He is eating breakfast when Jinki slips into the kitchen to place a quick kiss on his lips before he takes the newspaper from Kibum and reminds him of the time.

“Save some animals today,” Jinki says, voice still hoarse with sleep and Kibum, much more awake because of his morning coffee, kisses Jinki’s lips again and whispers ‘I will’ before he leaves the kitchen to Jinki. He grabs his trench coat from the coat rack and slips on his shoes before he lets the door slam behind him. 

Kibum is in a wonderful mood until he opens the door to the apartment complex and steps outside. The skies are dark and foreboding with rain. Kibum prays it won’t begin until he’s safe inside the clinic. He takes two steps at a time as he hurries down underground to find the subway. The crowd of people is just as bad as usual and Kibum groans as he presses into the train. It takes him 25 minutes to get downtown and as he exits the train he realizes it’s pouring rain. Kibum hopes his trench coat shelters him a little as he leaves the underground station. It doesn’t. He’s soaked within seconds and the morning he had spent with Jinki is no longer in his mind. The day simply cannot get any worse. The receptionist turns around to look at him as he enters the clinic. 

“Good morning Dr. Kim.” The girl sends him a shy smile. 

“Good morning Eunseo,” he says and tries not to bite at her. He nods towards the staff room and she nods in understanding. His doctor’s coat is for once closed so as to not reveal his bare chest underneath. He doesn’t like the feeling of the fabric against his chest. It scratches in an uncomfortable way and makes him feel exposed. Kibum looks down to make sure he has covered his chest completely before he looks in the small mirror above the sink and sighs.

When he emerges from the staff room Eunseo is talking to a young woman who seems very distressed with the cat in the cage at her feet. Joohyun steps outside her examination room and greets him with a small nod in passing before she ends up at the front desk so she can talk to the woman as well.

 

Four hours into his day Kibum has already had a plethora of different patients, some smaller than others and a few with a fear of vets so strong that he’d had to ask Changkyun to help him. He’s on his way to the staff room when Eunseo calls out for him. Kibum massages his temples quickly to get rid of the headache that has slowly developed. There’s a person behind the desk that immediately makes Kibum’s heart beat a little faster and he can’t help the smile that stretches upon his lips. He wasn’t expecting the other to show up at all. It makes the past four hours seem less horrible and he can’t stop himself when he rounds the desk so he can press his lips against Jinki’s in a delicate kiss. 

“I thought you were sick,” Kibum says and Jinki shrugs a little, smile etched onto his lips as well. 

“Being away from you made me weaker, I’m fine. Besides I thought you could use some nice lunch considering the one you made this morning must’ve become wet.” Kibum grabs his hand and intertwines their fingers as he slowly leads Jinki with him back to the staff room so he can eat in peace. 

“Thank you,” he says gratefully. Jinki’s eyes are glistening with love and Kibum is certain that he, himself, looks like a lovesick fool to anyone that watches him. He’s always been bad at hiding his affection for the other man and if he’s honest, he doesn’t really want to either. Kibum knows that not everybody is fond of same-sex couples but Kibum doesn’t care because Jinki is his and he is proud of it. Nobody has a more beautiful soulmate than him. 

Joohyun lifts her hand in a lazy wave when she sees Jinki before she turns back to her lunch as they enter the staff room. Kibum and Jinki sit down at the table and he slowly starts unpacking the food Jinki has brought him when Changkyun comes in and looks at the three of them. 

“Dr. Kim?” he says and Kibum lifts his head to look at him. 

“Yes?” 

“There are a father and a daughter with a snake and they seem to need immediate help. I think it’s respiratory problems, but I’m not sure.” Kibum gets up from his chair when Joohyun stops him. 

“Eat, I’ll take it. I’m almost done anyway.” She gathers her lunch, throws out her trash and follows Changkyun out again. Kibum just looks at the closing door before he sighs. He knows more about reptiles than Joohyun does, but he also trusts her to do her job well. He’s been working with her ever since he became a vet. Jinki taps his shoulder and hands him a pair of chopsticks.

“Eat,” he says with a glint in his eyes. Kibum has a feeling that Jinki knows he’s going to love whatever dish he is eating. He isn’t wrong. 

“Oh wow, this is amazing!” Kibum says and turns to look at Jinki.

“Nah,” Jinki says and sends him a soft smile. Kibum turns back to his lunch and takes another bite. Jinki is being too humble but there’s no way Kibum can convince him on that. Jinki is a wonderful chef and Kibum knows he’s appreciated at the restaurant but he also knows that Jinki rarely experiments with the dishes. When he does, however, it’s usually for Kibum only and Kibum enjoys that to the fullest. 

They get interrupted when Joohyun comes back into the staff room. 

“Kibum, I need your help with the snake,” she says. Kibum swallows and gets up from his chair. Jinki sends him a smile and kisses him quickly. 

“I’ll see you later baby,” he says before he leaves the two veterinarians to their job. Kibum smiles as he follows Joohyun back to the examination room so he can take a look at the snake with respiratory problems. A small girl gently pets the scales of the small ball python that lies on the towel. A tall man Kibum assumes is her father turns around to look at Joohyun. Kibum smiles to the small girl when he stands on the other side of the table. 

“What’s its name?” he asks and the girl looks up so she has eye contact with him. 

“Dangun,” she answers confidently. “Can you help him, Sir?” she adds after her father taps her shoulder. Kibum nods before he takes a look at the snake. He spends some time examining the small reptile before he looks up to address her father. 

“How warm is his enclosure typically?” The man blinks and Kibum feels a strange tingling in his fingertips. The silence seems deafening without being all that suffocating and it ends when the girl tugs on her father’s shirt and whines. 

“Oh, uhm …” he says and Kibum feels a strange burn on his left ankle. “It’s about 25 degrees overall and about 30 degrees in his basking spot.” Kibum tries to ignore the burning feeling in his ankle as best as he can. It’s not a soulmate, he has a soulmate already and he can’t have more. There’s just simply no way. He’s never heard of anyone having more than one soulmate, that’s an absurd thought. So of course, it wasn’t the words burning into his skin. He’s pulled from his thoughts when the girl talks again. 

“Is he going to die, Sir?” She sounds calm despite her words and Kibum blinks a little. 

“No, sweetie. He has pneumonia. I’ll give you some pills you have to put in his food and then he’ll be fine in a couple of days.” He can’t get his mind off of the strange burning sensation when the girl talks again. 

“He’s my first snake! Dad says I can’t play with Seondeok, so he bought me Dangun instead! He’s named after the first king; did you know that?” She speaks with such enthusiasm that Kibum almost finds himself getting interested as well, but then her father interrupts her. 

“Yoojin, put Dangun back in his enclosure,” he says and Kibum notices just how handsome the other actually is. It’s not that he was blind to it before but now he really takes a look at him. Then he shakes his head because he’s engaged and in love with Jinki and he doesn’t have another soulmate. It’s ridiculous and his mind is playing tricks on him for sure. 

He watches them leave the examination room and talk to Eunseo and then he hurries back into the staff room, flops down on the couch and lifts his pants enough to uncover his left ankle and watches as the words  _oh_ _uhm_ _it’s about 25 degrees overall and about 30 degrees in his basking spot_  forms a band on his skin. He swears and lets go of his pants again and the words disappear behind the fabric. It can’t be true. Kibum already has a soulmate. He’s been with Jinki for 10 years, nobody he’s ever known has had more than one soulmate. He’s never even been told stories about two soulmates. So this makes absolutely no sense. 

Kibum touches his chest over the fabric unconsciously and then he bolts into the staff toilet so he can open his coat and stare at the  _i_ _know you_  that sits confidently between his fourth and fifth rib. Kibum slowly lets his fingers run over the scars on his chest before he turns to look at his feet. No, he can’t have another soulmate.

When he exits the toilet there is already another patient waiting for him. 

 

Kibum can’t focus the rest of the day, his mind is constantly returning to the words on his ankle. He shouldn’t care much about it because he’s engaged to Jinki and he’s never going to meet the tall father again. What if it was just a glitch, fate missing the fact that he already has a soulmate. The marks will surely fade away and disappear, not stay as clear as Jinki’s words. Because Jinki is his soulmate, the right soulmate, his true soulmate. Kibum barely notices the light rain or the wind as he finds his way through busy streets and it isn’t until he enters his apartment that he realizes that his hair is damp. 

Jinki greets him in the hallway, laughs at the sight and kisses his lips and Kibum feels like a stranger. It scares him and Jinki immediately picks up on it. Kibum almost wants to cry when Jinki gently places a wet strand of hair behind his ear. 

“What’s wrong, baby?” he asks and Kibum shakes his head no before he walks passed Jinki and into the bathroom. 

“I’ll take a shower,” he says loudly before he closes the door behind him. The words are still there, shining red on his ankle as he undresses. He can’t let Jinki see them. He’s not sure what would happen if Jinki did see but Kibum doesn’t want him to when he’s fairly sure it’s a mistake. He sighs before he turns on the water and steps inside. When he leaves the bathroom he makes sure he’s wearing his pajamas and a pair of socks. Jinki raises an eyebrow as soon as he eyes Kibum from the kitchen. 

“Pajamas already?” he asks and Kibum nods.

“I’m tired,” he says and Jinki lets the argument die. He places himself in a kitchen chair and looks towards the food Jinki has in the oven. There’s silence between them before Jinki places himself on a chair next to Kibum and looks at him. 

“Are you okay?” He places his hand on Kibum’s shoulder and caresses it in soothing circles. 

“Huh?” Kibum asks and turns his attention from his ankle to his fiancé. 

“Are you okay, baby?” Jinki asks again and lets go of his shoulder, only to grab his hand. His thumb traces soothing circles on Kibum’s palm and Kibum easily recognizes the scarring of his own words. It makes him feel guilty and he almost pulls away. Jinki lets go of his hand before Kibum gets to pull away, however. 

“I’m fine, it was just a hard day at work,” Kibum says and feels even worse for lying to his fiancé. Jinki doesn’t question him. When Kibum crawls into bed that night he doesn’t remove his socks and he doesn’t curl up to Jinki like he would on a normal day.

 

Kibum avoids Jinki the next day. He can feel the other’s frustration from across their apartment and he is punished by the weather when he leaves for work. He still hasn’t taken his socks off in front of the other and he doesn’t want to take them off and be reminded of the mistake that is written on his ankle. He doesn’t understand why he is subject to fate’s cruel game. If it had been Jinki he could probably understand because Jinki is such an amazing person that it’s only fair if more people were to love him. But Kibum? Kibum doesn’t deserve more than one soulmate. The only thing it’s causing him is stress; stress he doesn’t need and stress that’s slowly tearing his relationship apart. 

He doesn’t answer Jinki’s texts when the other tells him he’ll be at work when Kibum arrives home and he doesn’t talk a lot to his coworkers during their few breaks. It feels like the world is crashing down upon his shoulders and Kibum just wants to hide. Somewhere deep inside he knows that he needs to tell Jinki, that he can’t hide the words on his ankle forever and that fate – now that they have already set him up with someone else – will lead him to bump into the other again and again. Still, he doesn’t want to subject Jinki to the pain that comes with another soulmate. 

He sighs when he gets off work and the rain is still pouring down outside. Joohyun pats his shoulder as she walks passed him and wishes him a nice afternoon. There’s nothing nice about the afternoon however as Kibum runs through the rain. He enters the bank and looks around. He's wary for no reason because he won't run into the other yet he still has a feeling that he's close - a feeling Kibum doesn't like. He doesn’t meet the other. The woman that helps him with his broken password sends him a smile as if she can feel his nervousness. 

The rain is still pouring when he leaves the bank and as he locks himself into the apartment the dreaded feeling of panic that enters him slowly every time he thinks about having another soulmate has almost transformed into one of annoyance. That is until he sees the note from Jinki besides the plate of sliced tarte tatin and is reminded that despite his overwhelming love towards Jinki there is someone out there who is also destined to be with him. 

 

“Kibum, seriously, start talking to me!” Jinki sounds desperate and Kibum looks up from the book he’s been reading. It’s been two days and he feels more distant than ever, but every time he takes off his socks, he’s reminded that somehow fate made a mistake and granted him another soulmate. Kibum hasn't found another way explain it. He still loves Jinki very much and hearing him so desperate makes his heart ache but he doesn't know how to tell him. So it surprises him even more when Jinki corners him on the couch. They’re only a few centimeters apart, their noses almost bumping, looking at each other.

“Jinki …” Kibum starts but he never gets to finish before Jinki has pressed his lips to Kibum’s. It’s aggressive in a way Kibum has rarely been kissed before, desperate in a heart-wrenching way and it completely removes his thoughts from his ankle. Kibum’s hands slowly find their way around Jinki’s neck. As they kiss, the aggression and desperation seeps out and only leaves way for love. When they pull away for air, Kibum chuckles a little. Jinki smiles and pecks his lips. 

“I love you,” he says and Kibum remembers the words on his ankle and he stills. The frown between his eyebrows deepens and Jinki sighs a little. “Forget it. Whatever you’re thinking about, forget it.” Jinki kisses Kibum quickly once, twice but Kibum pulls away and places his hands on Jinki’s chest. 

“Baby, wait …” Jinki pulls back and looks towards the floor and Kibum feels his heart sink in his chest. “I have something to tell you.” He doesn’t know where the courage comes from or how he’s going to tell Jinki about it, but the other’s downcast eyes and the clenching of his heart, makes him take the chance. He leans down and pulls off his socks before he places his hand on Jinki’s shoulder. “I didn’t know how to tell you so please don’t be mad at me.” There’s silence between them while Jinki looks at him as if he’s waiting for Kibum to say something until Kibum pulls his foot onto the couch and pulls up his pants so Jinki can see the wounds on his ankle.

“But …?” Jinki says and Kibum nods.

“I know, but what else could it be?” Jinki lets a finger run over Kibum’s scarred skin. 

“I’ve never heard of anybody with two soulmates,” he says in a murmur and Kibum widens his eyes in surprise. 

“You’re not mad?” Kibum asks with astonishment and Jinki moves his gaze from his ankle to his eyes. 

“Why would I be mad?” He sounds just as confused as Kibum is. 

“I have another soulmate.” Jinki shrugs and turns back to his ankle so he can let his fingers run over Kibum’s wounds again. 

“You still have my words, don’t you?” Kibum automatically puts his hand on his chest to feel the words even though he knows they’re there. Jinki chuckles and gently starts unbuttoning Kibum’s shirt. Kibum can feel his cheeks heat up. When his shirt falls off of his shoulders Jinki places a hand gently on the three words on his chest. “I still love you. I couldn’t stop loving you even if you had 4 soulmates, baby.” Kibum wraps his arms around Jinki and places his head on his shoulder, keeps him so close he can feel Jinki’s heart beat as well. 

“I love you too. I love you so much!” Jinki’s embrace is warm and safe and Kibum closes his eyes as he lets Jinki’s scent wash over him. 

They lie in bed, strong arms holding each other, noses almost bumping when Jinki gently blows a little air in Kibum’s face.

“So who is your soulmate that keeps the temperature between 25 and 30 degrees?” he asks with a smirk and Kibum laughs out loud. 

“One of my customers. He and his daughter came with a snake and I had to know how hot the enclosure was.” He pauses. “Oh god…” Jinki chuckles and laces their fingers together. 

“Unless you said shit I’m sure the words on his body can’t be that bad.” Kibum looks offended but soon relaxes into a smile. 

“You know I love my words on your hand.” He traces them with his thumb just to make sure his words are clear and Jinki gently kisses his lips. 

“I know.” They fall asleep cuddled close and wake up in the same position the next morning. 

 

Kibum enters the clinic the next morning in a good mood. He’s got a children’s song on his mind and he’s been humming it all the way to the clinic but despite the horrible weather, he’s still in a really good mood. The pressure he’d felt the last couple of days, the uncertainty and the nervousness about telling Jinki has all been lifted from his shoulder and even Eunseo and Changkyun greets him with a bigger smile. At lunch, he looks through their patients and finds the contact information on the father who had been there earlier with the snake. He’s nervous as he saves the phone number into his phone and even more nervous as he dials the other. 

“Chung Wha Animal Hospital, dr. Kim,” he says before he realizes he’s calling from his own private cell phone and he facepalms. His palms are sweaty and he licks his dry lips as the other man asks if there’s a problem. Maybe he hadn’t felt the pain as they connected? Maybe Kibum was simply just wrong? “Uh, my name is Kim Kibum, I’m calling because … A couple of days ago you and your daughter brought in your snake Dangun and I treated it. This is going to sound stupid but I think we might be soulmates and I was wondering if you would like to meet just to … talk about it. Where to go with it.” When he stops his talking his heart is beating ten times faster than normal. Kibum hates waiting for the answer. He doesn’t like feeling stupid but he feels immensely stupid right now. Since the other hasn’t initiated contact, maybe he doesn’t want anything to do with Kibum. Maybe he didn’t even feel the connection between them. 

When the other agrees, Kibum inhales deeply and realizes he’s been holding his breath. Kibum hangs up after a 5 minutes’ conversation and texts Jinki immediately afterwards. He’s going to need emotional support when he’s going to meet the other. Jinki is working when Kibum comes home. His nerves are through the roof after the phone conversation and Jinki hasn’t been very successful in calming him down through texts. Kibum surfs through his social media accounts but they don’t calm him down either. In the end, he calls Nicole who immediately scolds him for not having found a date they can hang out yet. Kibum laughs and asks to her pregnancy. It works to distract his mind and when Jinki arrives home at 10 pm, Kibum is laughing out loud in the kitchen, still trying to eat a sandwich. 

“I know, I know,” he says in between chuckles and Jinki sends him a smile as he gets a glass of water. He mimics ‘say hey from me’ and Kibum does so before he once again tells Nicole that she cannot name her unborn child something ridiculous like Awesome. 

20 minutes later when he hangs up, he finds Jinki on the couch with a book in his hands. On any other day, he would’ve kissed Jinki on the cheek and said good night but for some reason, Kibum finds himself in Jinki’s lap as he gently pries the book away from his hands and puts it on the coffee table. Jinki just sends him a confused smile. Kibum pays it no mind however when he softly places his hands on Jinki’s shoulders and presses his lips passionately to Jinki’s. When Jinki’s hands start to wander, Kibum knows he’s going to get things the way he wants them. 

 

Kibum can’t do this. He’s still in his underwear in front of the mirror, mountain of clothes spread across their bed behind him and he’s panicking because he has nothing to wear and he’s going to meet his second soulmate and explain it all. Jinki peeks inside the bedroom and raises an eyebrow. Kibum wants to throw a pillow after him for being so good-looking in his simple turquoise shirt and jeans. Instead, he opts for whining. 

“I can’t find anything to wear,” he says. Jinki reaches a hand out for Kibum who takes it and immediately snuggles closer to his chest. 

“You worry too much. You’re going to look fabulous.” Jinki lets go of him before he smiles a little. “I’m not going to make suggestions because you’re going to hate me for my horrible fashion sense but I know you’ll come up with something.” He presses a gentle kiss to Kibum’s temple before he leaves him in the bedroom again and Kibum turns around to stare at his wardrobe again. In the end, he settles on a pair of black skinny jeans and a pale pink shirt. Jinki sends him a thumbs-up from the kitchen when he enters and Kibum almost regrets his outfit because damn, he looks almost like Jinki. He doesn’t get to turn around though because Jinki grabs his shoulders and steers him towards the kitchen table and sits him down in a chair. 

“Relax,” Jinki says and Kibum glares at him. He can’t relax. It’s not Jinki who is going to meet a second soulmate. Well, not technically anyway, because Kibum is definitely dragging Jinki with him to the café where he’s meeting the other. Jinki places his breakfast in front of him and Kibum notices the golden band on his ring finger. 

“Why are you wearing your engagement ring?” he asks. Jinki usually doesn’t wear it when he cooks because it's unsanitary and Kibum doesn’t mind. It’s not like he wears his when he's in surgery either. Seeing Jinki cooking pancakes with the ring makes Kibum suspect he’s not completely fond of this entire meeting either. Jinki blushes. 

“It’s Saturday,” he says and Kibum smiles. It’s obvious it’s more than that but Kibum doesn’t pry. 

 

They leave the apartment close to midday and Kibum clenches Jinki’s hand so hard it’s a miracle the other hasn’t asked him to let go yet. The sun is fighting its way through dark clouds and Kibum’s nerves are going crazy. He’s never been this nervous before, not even when he met Jinki and realized they were soulmates or when he proposed. The doorbell clings as they enter the small café and Kibum immediately recognizes the tall man sitting alone at a table. His eyes are automatically drawn to this person and he slowly walks towards him, dragging a confused Jinki along. It isn’t until they’re right in front of the table and Kibum clears his throat that Jinki seems to catch on. The man gets up so he can shake Kibum’s hand and introduce himself. 

“I’m Choi Minho,” he says and Kibum nods as his fingertips tingle with the handshake.

“Kim Kibum,” he introduces and then turns to look at Jinki who stands beside him. “And this is my fiancé, Lee Jinki.” Minho shakes Jinki’s hand as well and sits down once he’s done. Jinki goes to order and Kibum sits down opposite of him. 

“How is your ball python?” The question catches both of them off-guard and Minho lets out a chuckle. Kibum feels his cheeks heat up slightly. He is usually not this nervous when meeting new people but he can’t help it today. Today is a situation he had never thought he would find himself in. Jinki places himself on the chair next to Kibum when he comes back. 

“He’s fine, the pneumonia is gone and Yoojin loves him so I’m sure he’s more spoiled than what good is.” Kibum is still blushing a little but with Jinki by his side and the man in front of him not seeming offended he slowly relaxes. 

“Is Yoojin your daughter?” Minho takes a sip of his tea and nods. 

“Yeah, she’s 7. She’s adorable but she can also be a real struggle.” Kibum laughs at that. He can only imagine what trouble a 7-year-old girl could be. 

“How about her mother?” When Minho’s eyes darken Kibum realizes he’s made a mistake by asking that question. The taller man does answer the question with a short ‘she’s dead’ though and Kibum clears his throat a little. The mood, however, seems to have darkened a little and it makes Kibum even more nervous. Jinki squeezes his hand in a silent attempt to cheer him up and give him courage and Kibum wants nothing more than to just run away and forget about everything, forget about Minho and two soulmates and just live with Jinki hidden far away from the rest of the world. He doesn’t get to flee before Minho talks again.

“You said you thought we were soulmates on the phone and …” He pauses and takes another sip of his tea and Kibum’s stomach does a complicated salto no stomach should be able to do. “I think you’re right. I don’t want to break up your engagement with Jinki though, so …” Kibum doesn’t even know what to answer so it surprises him when Jinki answers for him. 

“Kibum and I are soulmates as well.” This has Minho’s big eyes wide as saucers and he turns to look at him. 

“You have two soulmates?” Kibum shrugs a little and tries to disappear under the table. Jinki doesn’t let him run away from this conversation though and Kibum nods a small, barely noticeable nod. 

“I… Yeah, it seems so…” he says, voice low. He can’t really look at Minho so instead, he settles on Jinki’s hand where his words are beautifully scarred. Minho seems to notice the words on Jinki’s hand as well because he asks to them next. Jinki explains how they met before his phone suddenly cuts him off. Two minutes later he has left Kibum alone with Minho and Kibum takes a sip of his coffee to distract himself. Minho still seems a little fascinated with Kibum who has two soulmates. 

“So – I suppose you’re not going to break up with Jinki because of me, so are we just friends?” Kibum doesn’t get to answer before Minho gets up from his chair. “Oh crap, I have to leave, Yoojin finishes soccer practice in 5 minutes and I have to be there to pick her up and I’m already running late. I’ll talk to you later?” He doesn’t get an answer before he has left the café and Kibum is looking at the door where his two soulmates disappeared within minutes. He sighs. Oh well, that didn’t go as bad as it could have. Minho seems like a nice man and Jinki isn’t mad at him for having another soulmate. He feels a mix of relieved and lonely and decides to leave the café before the loneliness overshadows the relief. To his annoyance, the clouds have won over the sun and it’s now lightly raining. 

 

“You should come,” Minho says over the phone. It sounds like he drops something and he swears and Yoojin scolds him. “It’s their first game,” Minho is back to talking into the phone, “and they’re going to beat the public school. Bring Jinki if he has time, we could spend some time talking …” He gets interrupted by Yoojin who hmpfs and slams with a door. “Choi Yoojin, no slamming with the doors,” he shouts and Kibum cringes on his end of the line. “I’m sorry. So are you coming?” Kibum doesn’t even consider it when he answers. 

“Sure. I’ll be there.” When he hangs up he smiles. Jinki enters the living room from the hall, dressed in his coat. 

“I’ll be out late, so don’t wait up for me,” he says and sends Kibum a blinding smile. Kibum grabs his hand and raises an eyebrow. He didn’t know Jinki would be out tonight. The other seems just as confused as Kibum is.

“Where are you going?” Kibum asks and Jinki chuckles a little. 

“Joon is back in town, we’re just going to get a beer. I have to go now otherwise I’ll be late, so…” He looks towards his wrist watch and confirms time and Kibum leans in automatically so he can press a kiss to Jinki’s lips. He doesn’t think when he pulls Jinki closer and Jinki has to pull away chuckling. 

“I’ll see you later, baby,” he promises with a wink before he leaves Kibum in the living room alone. 

Kibum barely reaches Yoojin’s elementary school before the game begins and Minho waves at him frantically from the entrance to the field. 

“You’re late,” he scolds when he grabs Kibum’s wrist and drags the smaller man with him. It’s been 3 weeks since the awkward conversation in the café where Kibum had revealed that he has 2 soulmates. Their friendship has blossomed in those 3 weeks but Kibum still doesn’t feel like he knows the deepest darkest of Minho’s secrets. On the other hand, he’s fine with just being friends with the other. He doesn’t need to force Minho to tell him his secrets. It’ll come eventually. 

Minho sits down on a bench and points towards a girl with the number 10 on her back. She’s taller than her fellow players and her hair is put in a ponytail that reaches her shoulders. She’s fiercely running towards the other team when she gets tackled and tumbles towards the grass. Kibum can hear Minho gasp from beside him but the girl gets up and continues onwards. The game in itself isn’t all that exciting, Kibum has never found football to be particularly exciting but Minho’s reactions to the game are very entertaining and Kibum finds himself looking more at Minho than the girls on the field. 

When the game ends Minho hurries down to the field so he can envelop his daughter in a hug. When Kibum reaches them Yoojin rolls her eyes and Kibum can’t help laughing. 

“Good game, Yoojin,” he says and she wiggles out of Minho’s embrace so she can send Kibum a smile. 

“Thanks… Uhm, I’m gonna go shower now, bye dad, bye Kibum!” With those words, she’s running away from them so she can join her classmates in the locker room. Minho looks proudly after her and Kibum catches himself staring fondly at Minho and he shakes his head so he can stop that. He has a fiancé. He’s not falling for Minho. They’re just friends. Granted, they’re soulmates but only platonic. 

Yoojin reemerges in her own clothes 20 minutes later and Minho ruffles her hair and she sends him a glare and runs towards their car, away from her embarrassing father. Kibum is about to turn to get to the bus stop when Minho grabs his hand. Kibum’s heart awkwardly picks up speed and Kibum lets go of Minho’s hand in slight panic. 

“Want to come back to our place? We can eat dinner together.” There’s silence for a few seconds until a car horn sounds throughout the parking lot and they both spin around to look towards Minho’s car. Yoojin sends them a cheeky smile and waves at them. When Kibum opens the passenger door and Minho tells Yoojin to climb in the back, she whines a little but the smirk stays on her face. 

 

Yoojin throws her jacket on the floor where she leaves her shoes in the middle of the hallway before she hurries into the kitchen. Minho shouts after her but picks up her outerwear anyway and Kibum steps inside. The house is small with a homely feeling. The living room and kitchen are separated by a large double door that's opened up wide and Kibum assumes the door with the drawing of a soccer ball on it is the door to Yoojin’s room. In the living room is a large enclosure that homes a large emerald tree python. 

“Dad, can we have pizza for dinner?” Yoojin shouts from the kitchen and Minho turns to look at her. She’s standing in front of the refrigerator, door opened, looking at her father. 

“Sure but close the refrigerator, will you?” The girl does as she’s asked and Minho turns back to Kibum who has walked closer to the enclosure. 

“Pizza, huh?” he says but he’s still looking at the beautiful snake in the enclosure. Minho laughs.

“Not all of us have a French chef as our soulmate.” This has Kibum turning around to look at Minho but the other is still smiling so Kibum softens as well. He’s right anyway. Kibum has been spoiled with Jinki’s homemade food and when Jinki is too tired to make food, Kibum cooks because he enjoys the look on Jinki’s face. The thought makes his heart skip a beat. 

“Dad, can I feed Seondeok?” Yoojin suddenly asks from beside Kibum and Kibum tries to disguise his surprise at her question. She is looking towards the emerald tree python and Kibum guesses it must be Seondeok. Minho shakes his head. 

“We fed her two days ago, sweetheart. She needs to digest her food. Why don’t you figure out what pizza you want instead?” Yoojin pouts and looks at him with wide eyes that resemble her father’s. 

“I always want the same as mom, you know that.” Minho sends her a smile and Kibum feels the silent communication between father and daughter and feels a little awkward. Then Minho asks her to finish her homework if she isn’t finished while he orders pizza and Yoojin disappears into her room. Kibum sits in the kitchen while Minho walks around, rearranging things and cleaning the few dishes in the sink. 

“It’s been tough on her since we lost her mother.” Kibum turns to look at Minho but Minho is looking at the sink. “Sometimes I wish I was a better father but I don’t always know what to do.” He turns around so he can look at Kibum. “What do I do when she gets her first period? What about her first boyfriend?” He sits down in front of Kibum and sighs. Kibum isn’t expecting this deep talk at all so he doesn’t know how to react to all the insecurities Minho is suddenly telling him. He pats Minho’s arm comfortingly and Minho sends him a small smile. “I’m sorry, you don’t really care, do you?” That breaks something in Kibum’s heart because of course, he cares. He cares a lot – in a platonic way of course. If he tries to imagine what it would feel like if he lost Jinki, he’s sure he’ll start crying, so he can only imagine that actually losing someone you love is horrible. 

“Of course, I care,” he says and reciprocates Minho’s smile. “Has it been long?” He is nervous when he asks but Minho doesn’t seem offended. 

“3 years. It was a traffic accident. I’m still surprised she remembers her mother so well, to be honest.” 

“Were you...?” Kibum swallows a lump in his throat and becomes acutely aware of his hand that rests on Minho’s arm. Minho shakes his head. 

“No.” There’s silence between them for a minute. “We both knew when we got together that we weren’t destined to be with each other but we were foolish enough to believe our love could go against the force of soulmates. She met hers when Yoojin was 4 and fell head over heels. I was mad at her, thought she couldn’t leave us alone for someone she barely knew and she got mad at me. The accident happened 2 weeks after a huge fight. We hadn’t spoken in those 2 weeks and then they called me from the hospital to say she was critically injured.” He falls silent and Kibum can’t figure out if he’s sorry for the other or happy that at least he’s there with them now. He tries to forget the happiness because it’s wrong and he’s with Jinki and he shouldn’t think like that. 

When someone knocks on the door Kibum removes his hand from Minho’s arm and they don’t touch for the remainder of the evening. Minho offers to drive Kibum home but the other declines and instead gets on a bus. 

The evening is quiet around him but it leaves him with a foreign feeling. He knows he shouldn’t let his thoughts drift towards the other, shouldn’t feel shy or shouldn’t feel his heart beating faster when he touches the other. Yet he can’t help it. He can’t help the way the butterflies settle in his stomach or the way his fingers burn when he thinks of their contact with Minho’s skin. He hates himself for it, feels small and stupid and horrible because he’s not falling in love with Minho. Minho was in love with someone else, Minho has a daughter and he, himself, is engaged to the person he truly loves, the man he has been with in 10 years and counting. He can’t screw that up by falling in love with another soulmate he shouldn’t have had. He sighs and almost misses his bus stop because of his thoughts.

The apartment is dark and empty as he enters. Kibum sinks to the floor, tears silently rolling down his cheeks when the door closes behind him. He sits in the darkness, the forbidden butterflies still fluttering around in his stomach and the thoughts swirling in his mind. He doesn’t know what to do. He can’t cut off Minho, he knows that it will cause confusion and pain. He can’t bring more pain to Minho who has already suffered. He also can’t leave Jinki because that will cause such strong pain that neither he nor Jinki will be able to get over it. In fact, the only thing he can think of is disappearing but even that leaves pain behind and he doesn’t want to cause either of them pain. It feels impossible, though. To stay with both and stop himself from feeling more than he should when Minho is present. 

He crumbles together and cries. He cries for the solutions he can’t find, for the pain that he’s causing not only himself but also his two soulmates and for the confusion that is too strong. He doesn’t know how long he cries before he falls asleep with his head resting on his knees. 

 

Kibum wakes up in his bed to the smell of freshly baked croissants. He tucks his blanket around himself before he sighs. He can’t hide forever but he doesn’t feel ready to face Jinki either. He gets out of bed anyway and slowly enters the kitchen. Jinki is decorating croissants with chocolate and the coffee is slowly brewing in his fancy manual coffee brewer. 

“Why the fancy breakfast?” Kibum asks and Jinki puts his chocolate down and turns around so he can look at Kibum. 

“Good morning,” he says instead and Kibum raises an eyebrow. He wants an answer to his question. Jinki soon complies. “You seemed like you could use a day off.” Kibum only then remembers how he fell asleep yesterday and he sighs deeply. 

“I’m sorry,” he says and Jinki places a plate and a cup of freshly brewed coffee in front of him. 

“Don’t be, I’m sure you have a good reason.” Jinki kisses his forehead softly and gently removes his hair from his eyes before he goes back to his croissants so he can finish them. “You should eat.” Kibum slowly begins on his breakfast and Jinki joins him with a cup of coffee. They sit in silence. Kibum can almost feel Jinki’s questions but he doesn’t want to answer them so he says nothing. 

When he’s finished his breakfast and the kitchen is clean, he settles on the couch and grabs the blanket from the back. Jinki places himself on the other end of the couch with a book and sneaks his feet under the blanket as well. Kibum just looks at his fiancé. Jinki is reading with his reading glasses on, his dark hair still ruffled after a night of sleep. He’s wearing a grey sweater that has streaks of flour across the chest. For a professional chef, he’s awfully messy. Kibum smiles a little at the thought and Jinki reciprocates his smile when he catches Kibum looking at him. 

“What are you reading?” Kibum asks and changes his position on the couch so he can climb in between Jinki’s legs and lean back against his chest. Jinki places the book in front of Kibum and his head on Kibum’s shoulder so he can read. 

“Duma Key,” he says and Kibum nods a little and closes his eyes. Jinki continues reading in silence and Kibum automatically drags the blanket closer around them both with his eyes closed. He’s not sleeping and he isn’t tired enough to fall asleep but he wants to appreciate the time with Jinki like this. He doesn’t want thoughts of anything but Jinki interfere with this moment. Jinki smells of chocolate and when Kibum opens his eyes again he gets the overwhelming need to kiss him. He grabs one of Jinki’s hands and kisses the back of it and Jinki chuckles. “Baby, I can’t hold my book if you want to play with my hand.” Kibum takes the bookmark and places it in the book before he closes it gently. 

“Then don’t read,” he says and kisses Jinki’s hand again. Jinki wraps his other hand around Kibum’s midsection and places a soft kiss on his neck. Kibum smiles content. They sit in silence for a couple of minutes while Kibum plays with Jinki’s fingers before he intertwines them and rests back against Jinki’s shoulder. Jinki reaches towards the TV remote but Kibum stops him before he gets it. “Can’t we just sit like this?” he asks quietly and Jinki squeezes his waist in answer. Kibum feels safe in Jinki’s embrace and he loves it. He feels protected from all the unknown and all the problematic thoughts he had had yesterday night has disappeared. He places his own hand above the one of Jinki’s that isn’t intertwined with his and smiles. If he can just be with Jinki he can do anything. 

He doesn’t know how long he rests against Jinki when the other moves restlessly. 

“Baby,” Jinki says and moves a little again and Kibum looks over his shoulder with a hum. “My leg is sleeping.” Jinki smiles sheepishly and Kibum gets up laughing. Jinki gets off the couch and starts walking around the living room. Kibum plops down on the cushions again as he follows Jinki with his eyes.

“I love you.” Kibum isn’t even aware of what makes the words slip through his lips but the smile on Jinki’s face is worth it. Jinki stops behind the couch and leans over the back so he can kiss Kibum’s lips softly. 

“I love you too,” he says when he gently lets go and Kibum laces his fingers around Jinki’s neck so he can hold the other close to his face. Jinki supports his upper body with his hands on the couch back when he leans in again and presses his lips to Kibum’s. Kibum feels his body heat up under the blanket as their kiss becomes increasingly passionate and when Jinki breaks the kiss to breathe Kibum kicks the blanket a little down. Jinki sends him a smirk that says more than words ever could and Kibum rolls his eyes and crashes their lips together again. Kibum climbs on his knees as Jinki slowly stretches his back. He has his fingers tangled in Jinki’s hair so he can hold him close and Jinki lets his hands wander over Kibum’s shoulders. 

“We shouldn’t,” Jinki says as they break apart again and Kibum groans. 

“Who cares?” he asks and nibbles on Jinki’s lower lip. The low moan Jinki produces only has Kibum pressing kisses against the pulse point on his neck. Jinki doesn’t take long before he rounds the couch and Kibum sends him a smirk before their lips meet again. 

 

“Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes,” he sings in a murmur. “Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes; and eyes, and ears, and mouth, and nose; head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes.” The song has been stuck in his mind for the past 10 minutes and he needed it out in one way or another. Eunseo giggles shyly when she catches him singing and Kibum hurries into his examination room. 5 minutes later he calls in a mother, her two children, and a Dalmatian. The dog is limping and the girl clings to her mother’s leg while the boy has a firm grip on his mother’s hand. 

“Yeong, isn’t it?” he asks and squats so he can pet the dog. The small boy nods and lets go of his mother’s hand so he can pet the dog as well. Kibum looks at the mother. “Do you want to be here when we put him to sleep.” The woman nods. 

“Yes, I think it’s better to say goodbye while we’re all here. I don’t want them to think he was hurting unnecessary,” she says and the girl whimpers behind her. Kibum nods and turns his attention to the dog and the two children. 

“Did mommy tell you what is going to happen today?” he asks and the boy nods silently while the girl just glares at him. “You know Yeong has been very sick right?” Both children nod this time, the boy slowly wrapping his arms around the dog in a hug. Kibum feels his heart sink a little at the sight but he keeps his professional stance. “Yeong is very, very sick so today we’re going to make sure that Yeong sleeps peacefully. He’ll be very happy and very healthy in dog heaven.” The small girl takes a step towards the dog and pets his back. 

“Are you sure, Mister?” she asks quietly and Kibum nods firmly.

“Absolutely certain.” He gets up and starts preparing the syringe he needs. When he squats down again so he’s on eye level with the dog, he scratches his ear and begs the children closer. “When I give him this, he’s going to fall asleep. You have to say goodbye then because he won’t open his eyes again. But I promise that he’ll be happy in dog heaven.” He gets up and takes two steps back so the family can say goodbye to their dog. Their mother squats down so she can pet the Dalmatian with her children while she tells them the same thing Kibum has just said. 

When the mother begs him closer Kibum takes one look at the children. 

“You can stay here while he falls asleep and 5 minutes if you need that,” he directs the words to the mother who nods in return. The dog lies on the floor, too tired to stand and the boy sits beside the dog. The girl climbs into her brother’s lap so she, too, can pet the dog as Kibum gently injects him. The dog falls asleep and Kibum leaves the family to grieve their loss. 

5 minutes later he enters again and promises once again that Yeong will go to dog heaven. When the family has left he injects the lethal shot and makes sure the dog dies a painless death. Changkyun arrives just in time to help him send the animal to the crematory. Alone in his examination room, Kibum plops down on his chair and looks towards the floor where he has just put a dog to sleep. He sees the two young children hugging their dog and he sighs a little.

Then, for some reason, the image of Yoojin and Dangun sneaks into his mind and Kibum shakes his head furiously to get rid of it. He doesn’t want to imagine when Yoojin loses Dangun. He doesn’t get to do anything before Eunseo knocks on his door however and gives him a piece of paper with information about his next patient.  


	2. DEUX

Kibum isn’t expecting it when Minho texts him 1 month later and asks him if he can please pick up Yoojin after school. He needs someone to look after her because he has to stay late at work. As much as he trusts his 7-year-old daughter he doesn’t want her to be alone. So Kibum soon finds himself outside her school. Yoojin is talking with a couple of friends when she spots Kibum and tilts her head confused. She turns around to talk to her friends before she runs over to meet Kibum. 

“What are you doing here Kibum?” she asks confused and Kibum sends her a smile. 

“Your dad had to work late so he asked me to pick you up.” Yoojin turns to look nervously at her friends before she turns back to Kibum. 

“You’re my uncle if they ask, okay?” Her friends are making their way over to them and Kibum doesn’t get to ask what the act is for before two other girls have joined them. 

“Who’s that Yoojin?” the one with the longest hair asks. Yoojin sends her a big smile and Kibum gets the feeling that something is very wrong. 

“My uncle,” she says. Then she grabs Kibum’s hand. “Come, let’s go home in your awesome Mercedes.” Yoojin drags Kibum with her before he even gets to ask and when they’re far enough away she hunches her shoulders and Kibum stops her. 

“What was all that about?” he asks and Yoojin shrugs and kicks to a stone on the pavement. “Hey, Yoojin, you know I don’t have a car.” His voice is calm and comforting. 

“Yeah, why don’t you? You’re a vet!” Her voice is venomous and it takes Kibum by surprise. She doesn’t elaborate on it though when she sits on a bench and kicks her feet against the concrete. Kibum sits beside her on the bench. 

“What’s wrong, Yoojin?” he asks instead of asking to the car he doesn’t own. He’s almost certain there’s something else bothering her. She sighs heavily. 

“Yewon and Jihyun always brag about their rich parents and …” There’s silence between them. “Minwoo has two mothers and everybody teases him a lot but I really don’t want them to know that you and dad are soulmates because what if they start teasing me?” It’s a whisper but Kibum feels his heart sink in his chest. “Like Yewon and Jihyun doesn’t have enough things to bully me with.” He gently places his arm around her shoulder and Yoojin tries to hide in his side. 

“What do they bully you with?” Kibum hopes the question doesn’t make her feel like she needs to defend herself because he really wants to know what Yewon and Jihyun says that makes her feel even more scared to let the world know her father has a male soulmate. It’s not like he and Minho are dating anyway. Yoojin just sighs again and kicks at another stone. 

“My height,” she sniffs and Kibum realizes she’s crying. He gently lets his hand run through her hair in a soothing motion. He’s not really sure what he’s supposed to do, it’s not often he gets to comfort crying children, so he does what he finds natural and just holds her close. 

“Your height is going to make you a model,” he says and she blinks up at him. Kibum can’t help the small smile that spreads across his lips. 

“I’m not pretty enough to be a model,” she mumbles and Kibum gasps a little. 

“Don’t tell me Yewon and Jihyun told you that?” When she nods, Kibum feels something akin to anger in his chest. “They’re not right. You’re beautiful. And they’re just jealous because you’re taller than them.” 

“They also say girls shouldn’t play soccer,” Yoojin says timidly and Kibum pulls her closer in an embrace.

“You shouldn’t be listening to them; they obviously don’t know that girls can do whatever they want to do.” They sit in silence for another 30 seconds before Kibum asks whether or not Minho knows all about this. Yoojin quickly scoots away from him so she can glare at him. 

“You can’t tell dad!” She says. “Seriously, you can’t tell him I said anything!” She gets up from the bench and starts walking towards the bus stop and Kibum has to hurry a little before he reaches her. 

“Yoojin,” he tries but the girl just glares at him again. 

“No, please don’t tell dad. He’s going to think he’s done something wrong and I don’t want him to blame himself more. I can handle it.” Kibum stops in his tracks as he watches the small girl walk in front of him. She’s much more aware of what goes around her than he would have predicted. Kibum isn’t even sure Minho himself is aware of how much his daughter actually knows but he decides to fulfill Yoojin’s wish and not tell her father. At least unless the bullying becomes so severe that it slowly tears her apart. 

She turns around when she reaches the bus stop only to find Kibum 25 meters behind her and she giggles before she shouts after him. Kibum sends her a smile and feels lucky, a feeling he later buries deep within his chest and locks away in his heart. 

Yoojin throws her jacket and her bag where she leaves her shoes in the middle of the hallway and hurries into the house. Kibum picks it up after her and shakes his head lightly. The girl emerges into the living room with Dangun in her hands and plops down on the couch. The snake settles in her lap and almost goes to sleep and she looks at it with fond eyes. Kibum places himself on the other couch as he looks at her.

“Dangun seems to love you,” he says and Yoojin looks up and nods proudly. 

“Dad said I had to handle him often so he could be safe with me but I’ve had him a year already so I think he’s safe with me.” She turns to look dreamily towards the green snake in the living room. “I still can’t handle Seondeok.” Kibum chuckles a little and nods. 

“But Dangun seems like a wonderful snake.” This has Yoojin nodding firmly. 

“He is!” Then she seems to remember something and pouts a little towards Kibum. “Can’t you find my bag?” she asks and points towards the hallway where she has thrown it earlier. Kibum raises an eyebrow. “Homework…” she elaborates and Kibum has a strange feeling that she’s using him because she doesn’t want to get up. He gets to find her bag though and she starts reading with Dangun in her lap. 

Kibum settles in the kitchen with a cup of coffee. He finds himself staring at Yoojin in the couch and wonders who she resembles more, her mother or her father. He can see Minho’s traits in her, his love for sports and his height but he can’t help himself but wonder what her mother looks like. Kibum doesn’t mean to snoop around when he gets up from the chair and enters the door to Minho’s bedroom. He doesn’t mean to look through his private belongings but when he finds a picture hidden away in his bed table, he feels his heart sink. The man on the picture is obviously a younger Minho and the woman can’t be anyone but his ex-wife with the way she smiles to the baby in her arms who can’t be anyone but Yoojin. 

Kibum feels jealous and he doesn’t like that at all. He shouldn’t feel jealous. He knew Minho had someone before him, hell, he shouldn’t feel jealous because he has someone who isn’t Minho. He feels angry at himself for feeling jealous but looking at the picture only fuels his anger. The woman shouldn’t have been standing beside Minho like that, the pain she caused unknown to the happy couple portrayed in the photo. Then he scolds himself because he has no right to talk about the pain she caused when he doesn’t know exactly what pain she caused. 

Kibum puts the photo down and exits the bedroom just as he hears Yoojin exclaim ‘dad’. He can hear Minho’s chuckles before he can see the pair in the hallway, Dangun hiding under a couch pillow at the sudden noise. Guilt surges through his veins when he remembers the photograph he was looking at only moments earlier. Yoojin runs passed him so she can find Dangun in the couch and Minho sends him a smile. 

“Thanks for picking her up and looking after her. I hope she didn’t cause you too many troubles,” Minho says and when he walks passed Kibum he leans down and pecks Kibum’s cheek. Time stands still for a second before Kibum registers what have just happened. Then his heart picks up speed and he feels his stomach flip violently.

“I’m sorry,” Minho says. Kibum doesn’t even know how he’s able to wave it away but he does and sends Minho a smile. 

“It’s fine. I should get going.” Kibum only slips on his shoes before he turns around to find Yoojin in the living room. “I’ll see you later Yoojin,” he says and she nods and Kibum exits the front door. 

Kibum feels so horribly conflicted as he steps onto the pavement and flees from Minho’s house. He has an overwhelming urge to go back to Minho and kiss him hungrily yet he’s also horrified at his own reaction to the kiss on his cheek. He’s not falling in love with Minho though because that would be wrong and he can’t cheat on Jinki like that. Minho doesn’t love him either, of that he is fairly sure. They’re friends. Platonic soulmates. He’s engaged to Jinki. He can’t be in love with someone else, fate doesn’t play cruel tricks like that. Except the flutters of his heart seem to speak of love and he hates himself because of it. He can’t possibly be falling in love with Minho. The only solution he finds is to establish distance. Go on vacation with Jinki and be so far away from Minho as possible. Stop it before it gets too late because he must not develop feelings. 

Jinki is working when Kibum enters their apartment and the first thing Kibum does is turn on his computer and order flight tickets to Fiji. It isn’t until he has actually booked the flight that he realizes what he has done. It’s necessary though. He needs to get away from Minho because he cannot simply fall in love with the other. 

 

When Jinki comes home at 11 pm he looks exhausted and he smells of food. On any other day, his stench would have had Kibum scrunching up his nose and asking Jinki to shower but today he flings himself at the other so he can embrace him. Jinki looks surprised in the least as he slowly wraps his arms around Kibum as well. 

“What happened?” he asks but Kibum doesn’t say anything. He’s just happy that he feels his own heart beat faster in Jinki’s company as well and that the feeling of home hasn’t left the other. “You’re acting strange, baby,” Jinki says. Kibum gets eye contact with him. 

“Shut up and enjoy it when I’m clingy.” Jinki chuckles at that and presses his lips to Kibum’s. “But you taste like five million different kinds of food and the combination is gross so at least brush your teeth. I have a surprise for you!” Then he pushes Jinki towards the bathroom and laughs when the older man stumbles over his own feet. Jinki looks at Kibum one last time with a confused gaze before he disappears into the bathroom. Kibum can hear as the water in the shower starts running and he sighs. He really hadn’t wanted Jinki to shower but now that the other is obviously doing just that, Kibum decides he can surprise him in other ways. 

Instead of walking into the kitchen he turns around on his heel and enters the bathroom. Jinki is in the shower, humming some English song which title Kibum can’t remember but he recognizes the melody instantly as one Jinki has sung many times before. He undresses and sneaks in behind Jinki before he presses close to the other’s back. Jinki squeals with surprise and then swears and Kibum can’t help laughing. The water is making them both wet and Kibum is still clinging onto his fiancé. 

“Imagine a hot sun and a white beach and saltwater instead of the shower,” Kibum says and press a kiss to Jinki’s shoulder. Jinki turns around in his embrace and looks at him confused. 

“What did you do?” he asks and Kibum gasps in mock-offense. 

“I’m just the best boyfriend of the year, excuse you.” Jinki isn’t that easily convinced. “Can you get two weeks off from … say 12th September?” Kibum sends him a shy smile and Jinki exhales deeply. 

“That’s two weeks from now. Kibum, what did you do?” Kibum rolls his eyes and lets his hand slide over Jinki’s wet chest. 

“Maybe I booked tickets to Fiji for us… Just maybe…” Jinki tilts his head and Kibum succumbs. “Okay, I did book the tickets. Happy early honeymoon or something.” Jinki is just still looking at him so Kibum lets go of him, crosses his arms in front of his chest and glares at him. “Are you seriously not even happy?” This has Jinki lighting up in a smile and he wraps his arms around Kibum and pulls him closer. 

“Of course I am, baby.” Jinki’s warmth makes Kibum calm down and he lets the water cover both of them as he gets closer. He has a feeling that there is something else on Jinki’s mind however, when Jinki only soaps him up and doesn’t leave any lingering hands on his ass cheeks. He doesn’t voice this to Jinki however. As they step out of the shower, Jinki gets dressed in his bathrobe and Kibum decides to dry himself with a towel and just wrap it around his waist. 

It’s a couple of hours later when Jinki finds him in the living room in front of the TV. Kibum hasn’t been following the variety show but he still protests when Jinki stands in front of the TV and obscures his vision. 

“You called it an early honeymoon…” he says lowly and Kibum sighs. 

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have used that word. I know you’re not in a hurry to get married. I just wanted some time with you alone.” This has Jinki raising an eyebrow. “This whole two-soulmates-thing is exhausting, you know and I still love you a lot and I just want to spend some time with the man I love. Is that a crime?” Kibum has crossed his arms and is now looking directly at Jinki. The older man sighs. 

“Of course not, I’m sorry. I think you just got me thinking when you said early honeymoon. So … Fiji?” Kibum lights up in a smile and reaches out towards Jinki and the other joins him on the couch. Kibum immediately grabs Jinki’s hand and starts playing with his fingers. 

“Yeah, think about it. Beaches and ocean and just relaxing.” He wiggles his eyebrows and Jinki starts laughing. 

“Forget it, if we’re going to relax then we’re going to relax,” he says and Kibum pouts. They both know it won’t hold true though. “I’ll see if I can get off, but I’m not sure I can take a full two weeks off. Can you even take a full two weeks off?” Kibum becomes silent while he runs the schedule through his head. 

“I’ll just work more during Christmas so Joohyun can take off. And we’ll just have to have fewer patients, I suppose. It’ll be fine, don’t worry about me.” Jinki nods in silence before he places his head on Kibum’s shoulder. 

“I’ll try to get days off but I won’t promise anything.” 

 

Jinki’s boss isn’t happy when he asks for two full weeks off because his fiancé has decided to place their honeymoon before their actual wedding. Kibum feels a little sorry when Jinki has to lie about it to get the two weeks off but when they stand in the airport, dressed in light clothing and with sun-glasses adorning their nose bridges, he can’t help being excited. A middle-aged woman scoffs at their linked hands but Kibum doesn’t let Jinki pull away. Jinki beeps in the security control and Kibum can’t help his snort. Jinki pushes him lightly when the security guards finish their search and finds nothing and Kibum decides to mend his not-really-broken heart by buying him a box of heart-shaped chocolates that despite the cheesiness has Jinki squeezing his hand appreciatively. Kibum buries his head in Jinki’s shoulder as the plane takes off and heads towards Hong Kong and he does the same when the plane lands in Nadi. The first thing Jinki does when they’re off the plane is kiss Kibum and Kibum can’t stop laughing when the other finally pulls away. 

“You just had to,” he says and continues his chuckling. Jinki just shrugs but his smile is wide. They get their luggage easily and the heat that greets them has both of them sighing in relief. It’s going to be a great vacation. As they watch the sun set over the ocean from their small ocean cabin Jinki presses a kiss to Kibum’s bare shoulder. 

“I love you,” he says and Kibum feels the butterflies flutter in his stomach and his heart skip a beat and he knows this is the best decision he has ever made. Here he will forget he was ever soulmates with Minho and just focus on Jinki and it’s going to be great. He smiles and grabs Jinki’s hand so he can intertwine their fingers and just enjoy the moment. Kibum doesn’t want to leave ever again if Fiji means love like this. 

 

They spend the first week fooling around, sightseeing and cruising around the island nation. Jinki’s skin has been kissed by the sun and Kibum finds him even more beautiful than before they left. They don’t really touch each other in public, the gazes of disgust on the first day quickly letting them know that it isn’t looked all that well upon, but the nights are shared in privacy and full of each other. It almost feels like they’re on a honeymoon and not just a vacation at one point and Kibum feels so indescribably happy that it comes as a tidal wave when the feeling of loss washes over him. It’s sudden and heartbreaking and Kibum ends up crying in the bathroom as he condemns himself over missing Minho so much. Kibum doesn’t want to miss Minho but he does and the feeling of having lost something precious is so overwhelming that Jinki fairly quickly catches up on it.

“You’re missing him,” he says one evening while they’re eating outside at a fancy restaurant. Kibum looks up from his plate of food he can’t pronounce and looks at Jinki. 

“No, I don’t,” he mumbles but the lie is so obvious he doesn’t even bother disguising it when Jinki raises an eyebrow. 

“Call him,” Jinki says and Kibum shakes his head. 

“You don’t understand.” That is the one thing Kibum knows for sure. Jinki won’t understand. He barely even understands himself and he knows that he doesn’t expect Jinki to understand. Is it even possible to love two people without loving one more than the other? He sighs and digs into his dish. Jinki reaches out to stop him from eating. 

“Call him,” he says again, this time with a voice that leaves no room for debate. “You’re miserable with only me here, Kibum.” Kibum is about to deny it when Jinki shakes his head, fumbles for his phone and hands it to him. “Just call and say hi.” Kibum swallows thickly. Minho answers within 2 seconds. 

“Hello?” he says and Kibum bites his lower lip.

“Minho…” Kibum doesn’t get to say more before Minho interrupts him.

“Do you know how fucking worried I’ve been, Kibum!” he says and Yoojin shushes him. “Where the fuck are you and why are your phone turned off?” Jinki raises an eyebrow in question and Kibum slumps in his chair. 

“I’m on vacation with Jinki…” Minho quiets on the other end. 

“What?” he asks in a silent voice. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but I wanted to spend time with him and … I mean, you understand, don’t you?” There’s a pause where no one says anything. 

“Yeah, sure, I understand. I’ll see you when you come back.” With those words, Minho hangs up and Kibum is left staring at the phone, an overwhelming sense of misery settling in his bones. 

“Why didn’t you tell him, Kibum?” Jinki asks after a full minute of silence. Kibum gets up from his chair, emotions on edge. He misses Minho, he feels miserable for lying to the other, for trying to run away. He feels horrible for using Jinki to get away from Minho and he doesn’t really know what to do, how to fix anything because when it all comes down to it, he’s a guy with two soulmates and he’s probably in love with both of them and life can’t possibly go more wrong. He has a strong urge to just tell Jinki all of this but he can’t. 

“I’m sorry,” he says as he leaves the restaurant and Jinki watches his fiancé run away from yet another confrontation. 

Kibum is watching the sun set from their cabin. He doesn’t know where Jinki is and he’s not really worried about the other. He keeps repeating the same thoughts over and over again. No matter how much he still wants to deny that he’s in love with Minho, he can’t. It had snuck onto him so easily, the fond gazes, the fluttering butterflies and his speeding heartbeat. There had been signs before, signs he had buried so he didn’t have to deal with them. Now he’s trying to figure out where to go from here. He still loves Jinki, that’s a fact and he doesn’t want to delve into thoughts of suddenly losing the other because he was stupid enough to fall in love with a second soulmate. 

He doesn’t know how to tell Jinki that he still loves him when he also loves Minho. He doesn’t really know how to tell Minho that he has fallen in love with him but wants to stay with Jinki as well either. It’s all a mess and Kibum wishes someone would tell him what to do and fix everything for him but life usually doesn’t step up like that. The door opens behind him and he takes a look over his shoulder to find Jinki in the door way. 

“Kibum…” he says and Kibum turns to look out of the window again. Jinki doesn’t get closer to him but stays in the doorway. Kibum almost wishes he would turn around. As much as he doesn’t want to lose Jinki, it would be easier to deal with if both Jinki and Minho decided to leave him. Kibum doesn’t feel the tear that rolls down his cheek until he feels Jinki’s soft thumb removing it. “Tell me what’s troubling you so much. I don’t like seeing you in distress.” Jinki’s words only have Kibum’s tears flow faster and he sniffs. He has no idea how Jinki would react to his thoughts and he’s too scared to find out. So he shakes his head and watches as Jinki casts his eyes down towards the floor. “I can handle it…” Jinki doesn’t sound sure though and that makes Kibum certain – he isn’t going to tell the other. 

They stand in silence while Kibum looks towards the sunset and Jinki looks at the floor. When Jinki finally leaves him to go to bed, it’s dark outside, the moon hiding behind clouds. Kibum exhales relieved and fingers with his t-shirt. He is tired but he doesn’t want to go back to Jinki in their bed. It feels wrong to know that he is putting them all through pain, that it is all exclusively his fault. He also knows that the only way to fix this all is to talk and that is something he just isn’t ready to yet. Kibum falls asleep with his head resting on the window sill, tear streaks down his cheeks and his thoughts a rumbled mess. 

 

Jinki doesn’t mention Minho again for the last couple of days and Kibum tries his best to forget it all except the tension between the two are palpable and the rest of the vacation is more making sure neither says anything upsetting than it is enjoying each other’s company. Unlike the couple of months earlier where Kibum had realized he had another soulmate, Jinki makes no move to force it out of him. Kibum doesn’t know whether or not this should worry him but he can barely focus on the things he deal with now let alone new feelings and thoughts. 

They leave Fiji with heavy hearts and a vacation that started off so well and ended in something Kibum would rather forget. 

Kibum is tackled as they arrive in Incheon and he doesn’t even get to figure out who has hit him before he hears Jinki greet Minho. It’s only then that he sees Yoojin smile up at him with her arms wrapped around him. He blinks and she lets go sheepishly. She greets Jinki with a nod before she scurries back to her father and Jinki leaves them all alone in the airport. Kibum feels his heart tear as he watches Jinki’s back but Yoojin is quickly over him again. 

“Kibum, Dangun shed his skin the other day and I watched it because I was not in school,” she says before she gets interrupted by Minho. 

“You were sick, Yoojin, and you are still not completely well.” Then he looks at Kibum. “We shouldn’t have come. I’m glad you’re home. Do you have any way to get back?” Kibum looks the way Jinki disappeared but there is no sign of his older fiancé and he sighs and shakes his head. 

“Ride with us!” Yoojin exclaims and both men look at her. 

“It’s okay, I can take the train,” Kibum says quickly. He’s not sure he wants to be trapped in the car with Minho but Yoojin insists, grabs his suitcase and stubbornly drags it with her as she walks towards the exit. Minho shrugs a little and looks towards the floor. 

“It really is no problem.” The two men follow the 7-year-old girl who waves at them and rolls her eyes because of how slow they are. The ride home is filled with tension, words unsaid between the two men and Yoojin asleep in the backseat. The apartment is empty when Kibum opens the door. He grabs his phone, asks Nicole if he can call and when she calls instead of answering his text, he confesses all his fears and doubts. He tells her how he can’t fix anything, how Jinki left him and probably know what’s going on, how he can’t love Minho because it’s wrong to be in love with two people, how worried he is because Jinki has yet to arrive home after Fiji and how awkward Minho probably feels around him. She doesn’t say anything, just listens but it lifts the burden off of Kibum’s shoulders. When he goes to bed, albeit alone, he feels like he has a way to fix it. He’s not sure of how 100 % yet, but it must be possible. 

 

The bed is cold when Kibum wakes up the next morning and despite the good night’s sleep he has gotten he feels exhausted at the thought of what he has to do today. First though, he needs a shower. The water slowly warms up his cold body and Kibum finds himself with new energy – that is, until he steps out of the shower and faces the empty living room and the kitchen is silent. He doesn’t have energy to fix himself breakfast so he foregoes it and instead just finds his phone so he can scroll through his social media. For reasons he doesn’t know he scrolls through his own photos and suddenly he’s faced with photos of him and Jinki. There are more silly pictures of them than there are formal pictures but Kibum likes the silly ones more than the formal ones anyway. 

There are stupid pictures from stupid concerts when they were teenagers, there are silly pictures of their trip to France, there are stupid pictures from his proposal. And Jinki looks so happy and Kibum starts crying again. The pictures remind him of what he needs to do today and there’s no way he can stall now. It doesn’t make what he’s about to do any easier as he remembers the past 10 years of nothing but happiness with Jinki, though. 

Kibum leaves the apartment to yet another day of heavy clouds and the threat of rain. He hurries through the street like the rest of Seoul’s inhabitants until he stands in front of a small house. The house looks worn-down, doesn’t suit its neighborhood and the neighboring housewives are staring at him from their windows. A horribly skinny woman opens the door and stares at him. Kibum panics for a moment but he’s sure he’s at the right house. 

“Who is it?” a man asks from inside the house and Kibum relaxes as he recognizes the voice. The woman just keeps staring at him. 

“Who are you?” she asks silently, almost in a whisper and Kibum clears his throat as the first thunderbolt sounds. 

“My name is Kibum, is … uhm, is Joon at home?” She turns around and walks over the carpeted floor, only for a man to appear in the doorway moments later. The other man looks surprised to see him. He doesn’t get to ask before Kibum has spoken again. “Is Jinki here?” Joon shakes his head. 

“No, I’m sorry.” Kibum knows he wants to ask more questions, can see it in his eyes but he doesn’t let him as he thanks the other and turns around and leaves the small house. He treks through the city as the rain starts to fall, the sky lightened up by the occasional lightning and the world crashing around him with thunder. The apartment block is cold and looks like the rest in the area and Kibum swallows. It’s been years since he last spoke to Doojoon, the other might have moved. It’s another male voice that answers the intercom but Kibum tries his luck anyway when he asks for Doojoon. Doojoon is there but Jinki isn’t and Kibum feels his heart sink lower and lower. What if he isn’t going to find Jinki? 

He doesn’t know the other’s full social circle, it has always been important for them to be two different persons and not have the same friends. He has no idea where Yonghwa lives anymore, it might not even be in Seoul, and he can’t go through Seoul and ring doorbells, just to find his fiancé. Kibum also doesn’t want to visit his in-laws. He fears Jinki won’t be there and his mother will ask why Kibum is even asking such a stupid question and he doesn’t intend on telling her that he simply doesn’t know where Jinki is. He wanders through the streets while people look at him with a mix of disgust, wonder and pity and when he hours later enters their apartment again he’s cold, soaked and heartbroken. 

Jinki is sitting in the kitchen with a cup of tea in front of him and he looks up as Kibum enters. For a few seconds neither of them say anything, then Jinki gets up and runs his hands through Kibum’s wet hair. 

“Go shower,” he murmurs but Kibum doesn’t want to, not if it means that they will sit apart from each other and he won’t feel Jinki’s hands through his hair. “You’ll get sick,” he whispers and Kibum nods. Maybe being sick wouldn’t be all that bad. They stand still for what seems like hours until Jinki sighs. “At least take off your clothes. I’ll get your pajamas.” With those words he leaves Kibum in the kitchen but Kibum can’t do anything but just wait anxiously until Jinki returns with a towel and his pajamas. Jinki is about to unbutton his trench coat when Kibum shakes his head and takes a step back. 

“We need to talk,” he says. Jinki nods and reaches out towards his trench coat again but Kibum takes another step back. 

“Kibum, take off your jacket and we’ll talk. Please.” Kibum shakes his head. 

“Jinki, I’m sorry,” he says instead and Jinki’s eyes widen in surprise, only to shimmer with hurt and Kibum hates himself. Jinki doesn’t say anything though as he reaches out to grab Kibum’s trench coat, this time getting ahold of it and starting to unbutton it. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” The words are like an endless stream and Kibum doesn’t even think as he chants them while Jinki slowly slips his drenched coat off of his shoulders and onto the floor. His chant is only broken when Jinki places a finger on his lips and silences him. 

“What for?” he asks. It’s a hurt whisper and Kibum doesn’t know why Jinki must hear him say the words out loud. The silence is heavy around them until Kibum takes a deep breath. 

“I love him,” he whispers. He doesn’t want to look at Jinki but he can’t tear his eyes away as Jinki’s eyes fill with water and the tears slowly spill over and onto his cheeks. Jinki doesn’t say anything. Kibum isn’t aware of whether or not he cries too. It feels like he’s dying. Jinki nods and takes a step back. 

“I understand,” he says and Kibum knows deep inside that he doesn’t understand, that Jinki doesn’t know what Kibum can’t communicate. He doesn’t say anything when he turns his back to Kibum, forgets the drenched clothes that he had been so adamant about getting Kibum out of. Kibum reaches out, wants to grab his wrist, bring him back but his finger barely touches Jinki’s skin and he can’t get himself to grab onto him, to tug him back against him. Kibum can’t get himself to hold Jinki when he is no longer worthy of holding him. 

Instead he lets his hand fall back again and watches helplessly as Jinki leaves the kitchen in silence. Kibum can’t cry anymore but he can hear Jinki sobbing from their bedroom, the occasional frustrated thump of something being tossed to the floor. He wants to prevent Jinki from hurting himself but he knows he’s the cause of hurt to begin with. He wants to stop this nightmare from happening but he can’t do anything but watch as it folds out. He watches as Jinki enters the living room with a duffle bag and without a look Kibum’s way continues into the hallway. 

When the door closes behind him Kibum gets up from the couch and slowly moves to the hall. He stares at the closed door until he notices the golden band on the small table under the mirror and sinks to the floor. He ruined everything. 

 

Kibum is sick the next day when he wakes up. It may be all for the better because he can’t physically function even without his flu. The golden band is lying beside him on the bedside table and he keeps looking at it, only to cry when the overwhelming realization hits him again and again. Jinki had left and he had left his engagement ring behind. They’re no longer engaged, they can’t be. Kibum fucked up by falling in love with the second soulmate he shouldn’t have had. He curls in on himself and tugs the blanket over his head until he’s so nauseous he has to vomit. He can’t fathom how he can ever repair this when he ruined it. It also feels like he’s been torn in two, has lost his second half and he’ll never be full again. 

He’ll never be Kim Kibum without Lee Jinki and it’s weird and ridiculous and it hurts because he wouldn’t be Kim Kibum without Choi Minho either. Kibum is sick of it. He’s also so sick that in the end he has to fall victim to the nausea once again, hunched over the toilet. He wants to blame fate; he doesn’t deserve this, has never done anything in his life to grant deserving ruining everything he has ever loved and wanted. Kibum wishes it was someone else but as he climbs under his blanket again he just has to accept that whoever it should’ve been, it’s him and he has to deal with this alone. 

He doesn’t talk to anyone in the week that follows. Kibum knows he’s gotten a text from Joohyun scolding him, saying it’s not okay for him to be absent for so long, but he ignores her. He also ignores Nicole’s calls and text messages that ranges from joking to worrying to ‘I’m coming over and I’m breaking in if you don’t answer’. She doesn’t break in but she does come over to ring the doorbell. Kibum doesn’t open. He hasn’t been showering for 7 days in a row, he looks as disgusting as he feels and he has definitely not been eating as much as he should’ve been. But his appetite is gone and he wants to disappear. He hasn’t been talking to Minho either but the other has been avoiding him too. 

Ever since they hit Incheon airport after Fiji, it has all been going wrong. 

It surprises him when he receives a text message from the one number he never expected to ever see again considering the circumstances and he takes a double take to make sure he’s right. Right there on his phone screen is a text message from the man he loves more than he loves himself asking for them to meet up. Kibum feels his heart flutter before his mind reminds him that it may be for the official break of engagement. Maybe Jinki just wants to tell him that they’re over for good. This is not a good thing. 

Kibum wants to talk to Jinki, wants to apologize, wants to tell him how much he loves him, but this might not be the time. He wants to beg Jinki to return to him but he knows he doesn’t have the right to beg. He was wrong, he messed up. Jinki did nothing but love and try to understand, even under the strange circumstances. Kibum takes a shower and dresses up in the nicest clothes he can find in his closet without being too formal and he’s nervously clutching Jinki’s engagement ring in his pocket, his own circling his ring finger. 

 

When he enters the café he spots the other man immediately. Jinki is looking towards his coffee, fingers tapping the lid in a nervous rhythm. Kibum stops. His feet feel like lead and it’s almost impossible to take a step towards the older man. Jinki looks up in that moment and the two get eye contact, staring at each other. Kibum gets the urge to run away, to flee. He doesn’t want to hear that they’re over for good, he knows all too well when Jinki left his engagement ring at the small table in the hallway before he left. It wasn’t ideal in any way to end their relationship like that. They both know. Jinki sends him a small smile, it’s a little strained but it’s there and it makes it easier for Kibum to breathe, if only for a second or two before he stands in front of the other. Jinki gestures for him to sit down and Kibum does. He’s waiting for the blow but it isn’t coming. 

“I’m sorry,” Jinki says. “I shouldn’t have left but I was so angry and sad.” Kibum doesn’t know what to say. Jinki shouldn’t apologize. Kibum should be the one to apologize. 

“I’m sorry,” Kibum says and Jinki looks up. 

“You never asked for a second soulmate.” It surprises Kibum how well Jinki knows him, even though they’ve been together for the past ten years. Jinki takes up his tapping again and Kibum notices his neat handwriting on tan skin. 

“I’m still sorry. I never wanted to fall in love with someone else because I still love you like my life depends on it.” When Kibum realizes what he’s said he clasps his hand against his mouth to silence himself. Jinki doesn’t need to feel sorry for Kibum because he couldn’t keep his own feelings in check. It’s no excuse. If he really loved Jinki like his life depended on it, he wouldn’t have fallen in love with Minho, right? Except he really does love Jinki like his life depends on it and he is still in love with Minho. Jinki stops his tapping again. 

“You do?” Kibum nods. 

“I really, really do.” There’s silence between them until Jinki hums. “I understand if you don’t want to be with me anymore though so if this is goodbye, I…” Kibum chokes up at the thought and stops himself, hand once again clasped over his mouth but this time to prevent him from outright sobbing in front of Jinki. Jinki looks towards the table and Kibum is about to get up from his chair, when he speaks. 

“I don’t want to leave you.” It’s a quiet voice but Kibum hears it loud and clear. He can’t hide the tears that are now making it down his cheeks but Jinki is crying silently too. “I still love you; no matter how I think of a life without you or how much it hurts me to share you with Minho, I still love you.” Kibum shifts in his seat and it makes the ring fall out of his pocket and onto the floor. The sound as it hits the wooden floor makes both of them look towards it and Jinki chuckles in his tears and Kibum blushes. 

“Life is nothing without you,” he murmurs as Jinki bends to collect the golden ring and look at it. When he slides it on his finger Kibum sobs loudly. It’s embarrassing and people turn their heads to look at them but Kibum doesn’t care because he’s so overwhelmed. “I’ll forget Minho,” he says but Jinki reaches over to take his hand. 

“No you won’t.” The words are sharp as knives as they pierce Kibum’s chest but they’re true. Kibum doesn’t know how Jinki knows but he would be willing to try, willing to forget. It would be torture but as long as he doesn’t lose Jinki, right now he would be willing to do anything. “I’m still not comfortable with this whole … thing, but I can’t afford to lose you, it feels like dying.” Kibum nods because he shares the feeling, he knows what Jinki is talking about. Then he stands up and Kibum blinks up at him. “Let’s go home.” The way Jinki says it makes Kibum smile as he gets up as well. 

They don’t talk on their way home, their hands only brushes once because Kibum is too scared to take Jinki’s hand, too scared this is a dream he will wake up from in a minute but when they enter the apartment together it feels like there is way to repair it. There is a way to get around it. 

 

Kibum panics when he wakes up the next morning to an empty bed. His alarm is blaring but he barely hears it as he searches through the covers. There is no Jinki but the bed isn’t cold. Then he hears the chuckle from the door and he turns so quickly it’s a wonder he doesn’t snap his neck. Looking at Jinki makes his frantic heart calm down and he sends the other a shy smile. 

Only then does he react to the alarm, wincing before turning it off and remembering he has work today. 

For the first time in three weeks he is actually going to work. Kibum doesn’t squeeze Jinki’s waist when he prepares his breakfast and he doesn’t kiss Jinki’s cheek as he leaves the kitchen for his shower. They don’t kiss when Kibum leaves the apartment but the small smiles are enough progression for now. They remind him that it’ll be okay soon. One day it will be okay. For how shitty fall has been so far today is actually sunny. It’s still a little chilly but Kibum believes it will be okay. He smiles at Eunseo who blushes a little. Changkyun laughs at her as he passes them and Kibum sends him a smile as well. Joohyun raises an eyebrow at him but it shows more concern than it shows annoyance and Kibum is grateful. 

His patients are mainly vaccinations and health checks today and he feels relieved with the easy day. 

When the last patient leaves the clinic Kibum hurriedly asks his colleagues if they want to have a drink with him. That’s how he finds himself in a tent bar with Joohyun by his side and Eunseo and Changkyun across from him. Joohyun laughs loudly as Eunseo fills their soju glasses again. Kibum can’t help his smile. Changkyun announces that he has finally met his soulmate, a beautiful girl and that he’s so in love and it makes Eunseo and Kibum laugh as Joohyun has to hurry after him so he doesn’t end up falling somewhere and hurting himself in his hurry to get home to his girl. 

When they come back to the tent, Eunseo’s eyes is drooping and the empty soju bottles are suddenly more than they had first predicted there would be. Kibum scrambles from his seat and helps Eunseo outside and into a cab. Joohyun sends Changkyun off in the same manner before she turns to him. 

“It’s good to see you smiling again. These past months seem to have been tough on you. I hope you know I see myself as your friend and not only your coworker, right?” Kibum nods and sends her a smile. 

“Thank you, but I think it’ll be fine. You should get home before it gets too dark.” He shushes her into a cab of her own before he starts walking down the street. He buries his hands in his pockets as the cold makes the alcohol in his blood even stronger. He fumbles with the door to the apartment but as he finally finds his way inside he feels happy. 

Jinki is sleeping in the dark of their bedroom, but even the sight of his shape under the covers make Kibum happy. He climbs into bed after shedding his clothes and buries his head in Jinki’s neck as he wraps his arms around him. Jinki shifts a little, presses closer automatically and sighs in a sleepy content and Kibum presses his lips to his shoulder. He continues his kisses on Jinki shoulder until he feels the other shift again and turn around so they’re face to face. Jinki is still sleeping, his eyes closed in dreamy wonder and his skin so soft. 

Kibum can’t stop himself when he lifts a finger and gently removes the hair from Jinki’s eyes and presses another kiss to his forehead, his nose, his cheeks and then his lips. Jinki’s eyes flutter open as their lips press together and Kibum smiles lazily. The alcohol is dimming his senses and all he knows now is that he just wants to be with the other. 

“You smell of soju,” Jinki murmurs sleepily and Kibum just kisses his lips again, presses closer so he can feel all of Jinki. Jinki chuckles and pushes him a little away which only makes Kibum pout. 

“Why?” he asks and Jinki puts his finger on Kibum’s bottom lip.

“Do you love me?” he asks and Kibum nods enthusiastically against Jinki’s finger. He snaps after the finger but only lovingly before he becomes extremely serious. 

“I love you so much!” he says, his words a little slurred. Jinki sends him a small smile. 

“How much?” Kibum stretches his arms as wide as possible lying on the bed. 

“This much!” Then he pouts when he doesn’t deem the distance far enough to describe how much he actually loves Jinki. He ends up giggling before he curls close to Jinki’s chest. Jinki presses a kiss to his temple but Kibum is already about to fall asleep. 

 

They’re about to eat breakfast the next morning when Jinki tells him that he should tell Minho about everything; that he will be fine as long as Minho knows; that he will at least try to remember that Kibum loves him too. Kibum knows that Jinki knows that Minho doesn’t hate Jinki. The two never spoke much but they never seemed to hate each other despite Kibum being soulmates with both of them. On the other hand, telling Minho is unpredictable and he’d rather keep everything predictable after the week without Jinki. It’s obvious to both of them, however, that Kibum has started missing Minho again and that Jinki alone can’t fill Kibum’s heart anymore. 

Kibum tells him that he has a hangover and that he doesn’t want to discuss it. It’s not the truth. Kibum doesn’t have a hangover and Jinki knows but he lets go of the topic for now anyway as he serves Kibum and sends him a small smile. 

This morning they brush their hands together and Jinki even presses a quick kiss to Kibum’s forehead as he leaves in the morning. It’s impossible for Kibum to not think about it as he walks towards the clinic and it’s only when he passes a café that he realizes he’s gone too far. When he turns around he gets eye contact with a blond haired young man in the café who quickly averts his gaze and Kibum shrugs it off and heads for the clinic instead. 

Changkyun groans and hangs off of Eunseo behind the desk, his hangover obvious on his pale face. Kibum sends them a chipper ‘good morning’ and Changkyun groans and tells him to go away. It has Kibum laughing. 

When he leaves the clinic he makes a quick decision and heads left instead of right. The boutiques turn fancier and fancier as he walks down the streets. The cheap clothes shops are replaced by luxury brand stores and in the middle of all this luxury is a French restaurant called  _Acapella_. The soft music that filters through the speakers as Kibum enters only makes him smile wider. A waiter takes him to a table and Kibum lets the surroundings soak in. He always loved eating at  _Acapella_. Of course, knowing that it could be Jinki in the kitchen, cooking his order, makes it better but the atmosphere at  _Acapella_  is worth a lot in itself. It’s no wonder it’s such a famous restaurant. 

The waiter greets him with a menu and Kibum is left to choose for himself. When he comes back Kibum has deliberately sought out the only item on the menu he hasn’t tasted yet. The pronunciation of the name is surely wrong and he’s happy Jinki isn’t there to hear him say it but a look towards the kitchen makes his heart soar anyway. He’s halfway through his wine and has finished his desert when he looks towards the large clock on the wall furthest away and notices that Jinki is almost off. 

The bill is larger than he had expected but Kibum pays anyway, just in time to catch Jinki as he walks out of the kitchen-door dressed in his casual clothes. Jinki makes a double-take when he notices Kibum stand up and Kibum sends him a smile. 

“What…?” he asks but Kibum silences him by taking his hand and guiding him outside. 

“I wanted to eat a nice meal tonight,” he says sincerely and Jinki raises a skeptic eyebrow. “I mean it! You always cook amazing food!” 

“How do you know I cooked it?” he asks after a few seconds and Kibum sends him a sly smile. 

“You’re the only one that knows how to make Lampfrey à la Bordelase.” 

“Lamprey à la Bordelaise,” Jinki corrects. “Why would you even order that?” Kibum shrugs. 

“But you made it, didn’t you?” He wiggles his eyebrows and Jinki laughs out loud. 

“Yeah, I did.” They walk home, hand in hand but neither of them gives it much thought until they return home and Jinki shyly slips his hand out of Kibum’s. Kibum looks at him. 

“What’s wrong?” he asks cautiously and Jinki shrugs and sighs. 

“I’m just being silly,” he says and Kibum shakes his head. 

“No, tell me.” Jinki sends him a smile and grabs his hand instead. Kibum tilts his head in question. “Seriously, what is it?” He doesn’t expect it when Jinki backs him up against the closed door behind them and holds their linked hands up in front of them. 

“I just can’t believe I’m holding your hand,” he says and Kibum feels his heart melt in his chest. 

“You’re being silly,” he says and Jinki laughs. 

“That’s what I told you. Don’t you listen to me?” Kibum shrugs. 

“Maybe I don’t?” This has Jinki chuckling and he leans in. Kibum breath hitches in his chest. He feels like he’s 17 and Jinki is leaning in to kiss him for the first time. He doesn’t know what to expect, almost expects Jinki to pull away again, to not give in. But the fireworks are still the same as Jinki connects their lips for the first time while they’re both sober after their fight and Kibum feels his toes curl and his hands wrap around Jinki. He closes his eyes and takes in the feeling of Jinki’s soft, plump lips on his and he loves with every fiber and every cell in his body. When Jinki lets go, they’re both breathless and Kibum opens his eyes slightly. 

“Wow,” he whispers and Jinki chuckles and leans close again so he can rest his forehead on Kibum’s and send him a smile. “I love you,” Kibum breathes out against Jinki before he connects their lips again. This time he’s not letting go, this time he won’t ever be the reason Jinki leaves. He may make mistakes but as long as Jinki can forgive him he can do anything; he can do everything. Jinki pulls away again and presses a finger to Kibum’s lips to stop him from leaning in and capturing his lips for a third time. 

“We have time,” he whispers and Kibum sends him a smile. The smile he gets in return lights up his entire world. 

 

“Kibum!” Yoojin scolds and slaps his chest in anger. It hurts him where her hands collide with his chest and he looks at the 7-year-old girl confused. 

“Yoojin?” he says. “What are you doing here?” She scowls at him and puts her hands on her waist. 

“This is for making daddy hurt!” Then she hits him again. “And this is from me.” Kibum wonders how her punches are so powerful now that she’s a football player. Then her words register. 

“Wait, Yoojin, hurting daddy? What do you mean?” She glares at him as if he doesn’t understand. 

“You’re a bad guy!” With those words, she turns around and leaves his examination room. Kibum massages his chest where he’s been hit twice while he lets the words sink in. Bad guy, he’s a bad guy. He must’ve hurt Minho somehow. But Minho isn’t in love with him, right? They were just supposed to be friends with. It is only Kibum that screws up. He sighs and sits on his small chair while he tries to get it all to make sense. 

It takes until his last patient before he has come to the conclusion that Minho must have developed feelings for him somehow as well. What other way could he possibly have hurt Minho by being together with the man Minho knew already was his fiancé? There’s no other way. But how does he redeem that mistake when the only thing he can possibly say is “I’m in love with you too” and it doesn’t seem like the words Minho might need to hear. His shoulders hang low when he walks home and bumps into someone else. 

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs and hears the other whisper a distressed ‘fucking shit’. Kibum doesn’t think much of it until he enters the apartment and Jinki takes one look at him, blinks and turns around. 

“Jinki?” he asks into the apartment but Jinki comes back in a few seconds, apron no longer around his torso. He grabs Kibum’s shoulders and steers him towards the bathroom and only when they’re standing in front of the mirror does Jinki let go. Kibum turns around to look at him with questions on his tongue but Jinki grabs his shoulders once again and turns him around so he’s staring in the mirror. Then he notices the words that slither up his neck and he gasps. 

“No.” Kibum lets his finger run under his collar and trace the words.  _fucking shit_  is written in small, red capital letters, carved into his skin. “No,” he repeats. He can’t have three soulmates. He can’t have three soulmates. He already hurt the two he has, he can’t deal with another one. It’s a lie, it’s a lie, it’s a lie. 

His head is spinning when Jinki turns him around and pulls him in an embrace. There are no words said as Kibum lets the new information sink in. He has another soulmate. Another way to fuck up everything, another way to lose Jinki, to lose Minho whom he doesn’t even have yet. He can’t believe it but he can’t shake the feeling of when he eats dinner or later cuddles with Jinki in front of the TV. And when he slips his t-shirt over his head before he climbs into bed, the curse words are still there, bright on his skin. 

Jinki kisses him good night, tugs him close and doesn’t mention his own distress at having to share Kibum with even more people. And Kibum falls asleep hoping that fate won’t make more mistakes. 


	3. TROIS

The curse words are still there when he wakes up the next morning. Jinki is gone on an errand according to the post-it on the refrigerator. Kibum stares at the mirror and traces the lines that are no longer as bright red as they were yesterday. They’re still wounds, however. He sighs. How come he didn’t notice when they got marred onto his skin? He barely remembers running into someone and it makes absolutely no sense to him. Yet the evidence is there on his neck, just like the scars on his chest and around his ankle are blaring evidence that he has been cursed by fate to have not only one but three soulmates. 

He dresses in a turtleneck so he can conceal it to the outer world. Maybe he can at least forget it if he can’t see it. In the end, he doesn’t know who this new soulmate is. As cruel as fate usually is, maybe this time, it will realize that it made a mistake, granted him a soulmate he shouldn’t have and keep them from each other. 

 

The curse words are also there when he gets home from work and violently pulls the neck of his shirt down. He sighs as he stares in the mirror. The apartment is empty, Jinki is working and Kibum goes to find something he can eat in the kitchen. Soyou texts him to remind him of Nicole’s upcoming baby shower and Kibum sends a confirmation text back; he’ll be there. 

Then he goes on to eat a cup of ramen before he turns on the TV and slumps on the couch. He has fallen asleep when Jinki arrives home to turn off the TV and carry him to bed.

 

Kibum doesn’t expect the other voice when he enters their apartment the next day. He knows Jinki is home because the other is off today but he wasn’t expecting the deep voice that talks to Jinki in the living room. It has his heart beating in his rib cage and he considers turning around and leaving the apartment for 30 seconds before Jinki peeps into the hallway and smiles. 

“Welcome home,” he says and Kibum hates himself a little when he reciprocates Jinki’s smile. He wishes they were alone. If they were, today would have been good but they’re not and Kibum knows exactly why they’re not, even if Jinki doesn’t say it. Minho is sitting on the couch and Jinki disappears back into the kitchen. 

“Hey,” Kibum says and Minho looks up. The eye contact makes Kibum’s heart flutter and he bites his lower lip slightly out of habit. Minho nods his greeting. Jinki hums from the kitchen. In some way, Kibum would wish they were somewhere private, just him and Minho. He also knows that if they were the only two, he would never say sorry or talk to Minho so maybe it’s for the better. He still can’t believe Jinki has actually invited Minho over though. They sit in silence until Jinki enters the living room and sighs at them. 

“Food’s ready,” he says and Kibum hurries from the couch and into the kitchen. He wants to take Jinki’s hand so badly, wants a little comfort but he knows that what he is going to tell Minho, what he needs to tell Minho, is not exactly something Jinki wants to hear either. He can see it on the older man, how his shoulders are tense and his eyes downcast even when Minho compliments the French meal he’s been cooking. Dinner is awkward to say the least and Kibum just wishes he could go back to the time where he was only Jinki’s fiancé and soulmate. The time where he didn’t love Minho or Minho, maybe, possibly wasn’t in love with him. 

But with Yoojin’s angry outburst the day she came to visit him at the clinic and with Jinki inviting the other over, Kibum is absolutely certain that this is all arranged so he can finally step into unpredictable territory and tell the other that maybe he’s in love with Minho too. He sighs and puts his fork down before he looks up. 

For someone with so little courage, Kibum feels awfully challenged when he asks Minho if they can talk in the bedroom. Jinki eyes them as with a nervous tapping on the dinner table as Minho nods and follows Kibum into the bedroom. The two men are not looking at each other. 

“Yoojin came to see me at the clinic a couple of days ago,” Kibum starts. His voice is low, it’s shaky but it makes Minho look up in surprise. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I’ll tell her that it’s not okay. I hope she wasn’t causing any trouble.” He keeps going with apologies until Kibum stops him with a hand on his shoulder. 

“It’s okay, it’s not Yoojin…” He takes a look at the bed before he sits down and Minho sits down beside him. “She … told me that you have been hurting.” Minho blinks confused. “Well, no, technically she hit my chest and told me it was for hurting you and her.” Kibum looks towards the floor. 

“I don’t get it,” Minho says and Kibum sighs. Then he looks up, gets eye contact with Minho and leans in and presses his lips softly to Minho’s. The taller man gasps and pulls away, staring at Kibum with an expression Kibum can’t read. Kibum hates it. His heart is beating faster every second and the silence only grows heavier and heavier. 

“I’m in love with you,” Kibum confesses. “I know I shouldn’t be because I also love Jinki and it’s all a mess but I’m sure we can work it out together somehow, I don’t know, I just know I’m in love with you.” There’s silent between them again before Minho curses. 

“Fuck, how do we do this? I can’t … I mean, I can’t ruin your relationship with Jinki, I know I can’t, it’s wrong!” Kibum takes his hand and it quiets the other down. 

“Just tell me, are you in love with me too?” There’s silence and hesitation before Minho gets up from the bed and walks towards the door before he turns around and stalks back to Kibum, one hand holding his head before their lips mold together. It has Kibum sigh as his ears are filled with the sound of his blood pumping through his veins and how his body is lit on fire. It’s nothing like kissing Jinki with fireworks and the feeling of home. It’s hungry, it’s angry, it’s passionate, it’s everything he’s ever wanted, everything he’s ever needed and Kibum clutches to the front of Minho’s sweater and pulls him closer, closer, closer until there is nothing more between them. 

When Minho pulls away he looks slightly surprised and very frightened with his own response. Kibum sends him a smile. 

“Yes,” Minho whispers but he still looks like he can’t believe he just kissed Kibum. “I fell in love with you too but how can this be when you’re engaged to Jinki?” It hits Kibum with a feeling of guilt. He’s just been kissing Minho in the bedroom he shares with Jinki. That’s not fair to the older man but Kibum doesn’t want to give Minho even more reason to pull away now that he’s finally aware that the other loves him too. He can’t lose Minho because he’s too scared of hurting Jinki. 

“We’ll work it out! I promise. I cannot lose either of you.” 

Then it hits him that he needs to tell Jinki this too. Kibum gets up from the bed, grabs Minho’s hand and drags him through the apartment until he finds Jinki in the work room, headphones on, hiding him from the reality of things. Kibum knows he’s hiding because he doesn’t want to hear about Minho. He doesn’t want to share even though he promised he would try. This is just as difficult for him as it is for the rest of them. Kibum lets go of Minho’s hand and gently leans down so he can kiss Jinki’s cheek and slowly pull the headphones away from his ears. 

“I love you,” he says into the room. It’s to both of them. “I love you both and I can’t lose either of you. I’ll do whatever you want me to, just … I can’t lose both you and it’s selfish and I’m sorry you have to go through this because of…” he points towards his body as if to indicate that it wasn’t exactly his choice. “But now that I have you, I can’t let you go. I need you both to survive.” There’s silent when he finishes as the two men turns their head to look at Kibum who stands in the middle of them. “I really can’t lose you.” Kibum wants to elaborate, wants to bear his heart so they know that he speaks the truth when he tells them he loves them but he has no other way but his words. Neither of them says anything and Kibum suddenly grows insecure. “Please say something,” he whispers into the room but then Jinki sends him a bright smile and a nod. 

“We’ll work it out. I promise.” Minho puts his hand on Kibum’s shoulder and sends him a small smile. It’s a lot less promising than Jinki’s but Kibum wants to believe him as he nods and promises that he’ll try to make it work as well. 

They’re interrupted by Minho’s cellphone and as his face morphs from relief to confusion and then to anger while he’s on the phone Kibum knows something is terribly wrong. 

“I have to leave, it’s … It’s Yoojin,” he says and lifts the phone from his face quickly before he places it against his ear again. “I’ll be back home soon, honey, I promise. Yoojin, sweetheart, calm down.” He nods towards the door, leans towards Kibum, only to hesitate, lean back and turn around and leave the room. Kibum hurries after him but only catches up with him as he puts on his jacket and pockets his phone. 

“Is she okay?” he blurts out as he grasps onto Minho’s sleeve and the other turns around.

“She’s upset. Kibum, I have to get home to her.” Kibum nods and leans up to kiss Minho’s cheek. 

“I get it. I’ll see you later.” Minho sends him a small smile that has Kibum blush slightly before he rushes out the door. Then he hears Jinki chuckle behind him and turns around to glare at his fiancé. “Jinki!” he says but the other just tilts his head.

“You never blushed with me,” he says and Kibum pouts. That’s a lie, Kibum blushed with Jinki before and Jinki certainly also blushed with him. But he won’t tell Jinki because the other is clearly having fun over this. Instead he walks closer and presses his lips against Jinki’s nose while he wraps his arms gently around Jinki’s waist.

“You know I love you too, right?” Jinki nods to that but doesn’t say anything. “I promise, it’ll be okay, we can work it out. Don’t run away ever again.” Jinki just leans up to press his lips gently towards Kibum’s in answer. 

“I’m glad you finally told him,” he says when he lets go and sends Kibum a smile. Kibum reciprocates. He’s happy too. The words were absolutely awful to say but now that he has said them, he’s more than relieved. Kibum is happy Jinki had the strength to accept Minho. Their situation may be unique but he’s absolutely sure he’ll be able to do it now. Jinki lets his fingers fumble with the collar of Kibum’s turtleneck and the younger gently pries his fingers away. 

“Don’t, please don’t. I don’t want to think about it. I don’t want to fuck this up.” Jinki sends him a small smile before he lets go completely and leaves Kibum in the hall. 

 

The wind is strong as people hurry throughout their last Halloween shopping before the weekend. Kibum pulls his trench coat further around him and pockets his hands. He’s on his way home from the clinic as he decides he wants to go through the park. It’s a couple of weeks after his confession to Minho and although they’re still trying to make it work, Kibum is growing more and more confident that they will eventually succeed. Most of the time he doesn’t show their love while they’re both around, he doesn’t want to hurt any of them so he keeps it on the low. On the other hand, Minho and Jinki has started talking more. 

Minho and Yoojin has been invited over for dinner more than once and Jinki even brought Yoojin home to cook one day while Minho was working overtime. Kibum is just happy they get along. He finds a bench in the park and sits down, crosses his leg and leans back. It’s cold but the wind is fresh and he doesn’t want to return home. For some reason, it’s clearing his mind. Then he overhears someone talk behind him. 

Kibum doesn’t open his eyes, just lets the not-so-subtle whispers filter through his mind. It sounds like a man and a woman, the woman angrily hissing back to her companion. When he does open his eyes after what feels like a couple of minutes, he sees the back of a dark-haired woman with a bob-cut in a feminine white maxi-dress and a light jacket. Her taller companion is dressed in a big woolen coat and looks like he freezes a lot more than her. Kibum smiles as he gets up from his seat on the bench and starts his walk home. 

He isn’t expecting it when he comes home to a kitchen filled with smoke. Jinki rarely fucks up in the kitchen and even the times he does, it has never been this bad. The fire alarm is beeping loudly and someone curses loudly. Kibum hurries inside to open the windows to let the air out when he hears a girl scream before something crashes. 

It takes him a couple of seconds where he wonders whether or not he stepped into the wrong apartment before he recognizes Minho’s curses and Yoojin hurries from the kitchen and to the bathroom. Kibum hurries into the kitchen where he finds a pan whirling black smoke towards the ceiling. It has been removed from the offending hob to another but the thing that was once on the pan, looking like food, is now coal. 

Minho is on the floor, his ankle swelling rapidly as he curses. He doesn’t get to say anything before Yoojin hurries past him and kneels before her father to put a wet towel on his ankle. Minho winces. Kibum reaches up to turn the fire alarm off and then clears his throat and gets the attention of both father and daughter. 

“What on Earth happened here?” he asks, looking from Minho to Yoojin and back to Minho. Minho tries to move but has to stay put when he grimaces in pain. 

“Yoojin wanted to surprise you guys with dinner,” he says. Kibum just lifts an eyebrow. 

“Where’s Jinki?” Yoojin looks sheepishly to the floor before she gets up and looks at Kibum’s feet, too afraid to meet his eyes. 

“I’m sorry!” Then something gives her courage and she looks up. “Dad fell from the chair!” Kibum sighs when his heart feels sorry for the man. 

“Can you stand?” he asks and kneels to help Minho up. The second Minho’s foot touches the ground he curses in pain. Then he looks back at Kibum, standing on one foot, before he shakes his head. 

“It’s probably just a sprain, I just need something cold on it, it’ll be fine.” Yoojin doesn’t seem to believe him as she stares at her father but Kibum lets him be. Then Jinki arrives home, notices the smoke that is still lingering in the apartment and hurries into his beloved kitchen. 

“What…?” he says before he sees Yoojin and her father and greets them quickly with a nod. Then he turns back to his kitchen and tries to save his pan from whatever monstrosity Minho had tried cooking and when he finally gives up he looks back at the other three with a deep frown. “I told you not to start cooking before I got back home from the market,” he scolds and Yoojin starts crying while Minho winces as Kibum accidentally touches his foot in order to get to Jinki to calm him down. 

“Hey, baby, they did it for us,” he tries but Jinki is still mad. 

“They ruined my cast iron pan, Kibum. Now I have to order another one and it’ll take forever for them to customize it.” 

“I’ll buy it,” Minho pipes up, pain still visible in his voice. Jinki glares at him. 

“No, keep away from my kitchen.” Then he leaves them in the kitchen. The bedroom door slams seconds later. Kibum gently pulls Yoojin closer to him in a hug and pets her hair softly. 

“It’s okay, uncle Jinki just really loves his kitchen.” Yoojin sniffs and buries her head in his midsection and Kibum moves his gaze to Minho. “You sure you don’t want me to take you to the hospital?” he asks and Minho looks up to send him a small smile. 

“You don’t have a car, Kibum. How will you take me to the hospital?” Minho has a good point and Kibum bites his lower lip a little while he thinks it over. Jinki has a driver’s license and Minho has a car so it’s not impossible. He just needs to calm down Jinki enough to drive them to the hospital. 

“Jinki can drive your car,” he says and Minho sighs. 

“I’m not sure Jinki wants to drive me anywhere. I’m sorry about the kitchen, by the way. I didn’t know Italian cooking was so hard.” Kibum widens his eyes. 

“Why would you try Italian cooking?!” Minho just shrugs and Yoojin pries a little away from Kibum to look up at him. 

“Dad said he once tasted the best pizza in Italy so I wanted to make it for you guys. Jinki-ssi said he would help us but he needed to go to the market to buy something for something so that we should just be here but I convinced dad to start and it’s all my fault.” She has teary eyes when she stops and Kibum squats a little so he can be on eye level with the 7-year-old girl. 

“It’s not your fault, Yoojin,” he says as he gives her a last squeeze before he lets go of her. “I’ll talk to Jinki.” He leaves the two in the kitchen and as he gently slips into the bedroom. Jinki is sitting on the bed, hands in his hair. He takes deep breaths and Kibum sits beside him without a word. 

“I’m sorry, I crossed the line,” Jinki says immediately as he feels the dip of the bed and Kibum just pries his hands from his hair so he can let his fingers gently caress his knuckles. 

“You’re forgiven,” Kibum says and Jinki turns to look at him. 

“Are you sure?” He still seems a little upset about what happened to his pan and the smoke in the apartment as the attempt at cooking hadn’t been successful but he’s a lot calmer now than he was in the kitchen. Kibum nods. 

“Absolutely sure.” He halts for a short pause. “Will you let Minho pay for the pan?” Jinki eyes him incredulously. 

“Of course not. I’ll handle it. Maybe I can get discount through  _Acapella_ ,” he says and then he smiles a little. Kibum is still caressing his hands when he stands up. 

“We need your help though. Minho fell, I’m not sure how, but apparently he hurt his ankle and it looks pretty bad. Can’t you get him to the hospital?” Jinki gets up with Kibum as well and raises an eyebrow. 

“Are you just using me to make sure your new soulmate is safe?” he says and Kibum widens his eyes in horror. 

“No! Jinki, no!” He grabs Jinki’s hands and keeps him in front of him, holding eye contact. “I love you, baby. I’m not using you!” Then Jinki can’t hold his smile in anymore and Kibum glares at him. “Not funny!” Jinki leans up to kiss him sweetly before he pulls out of Kibum’s hands and leaves him in the bedroom. 

Jinki is helping Minho stand when Kibum finds them in the kitchen. Yoojin is sitting on the couch, knees pulled close to her chest. He promises to stay with Yoojin while the other two go to the hospital. Yoojin still isn’t convinced it isn’t her fault when Kibum sits down beside her on the couch but there is nothing that can bring laughter as a tickle fight. When they have finally calmed down, Kibum asks her what she’s going to be for Halloween and she launches into a detailed description of her costume. 

Minho and Jinki returns home hours later. Yoojin is sleeping on the couch with her head in Kibum’s lap as the two men make their way through the front door. Minho’s foot has been put in a cast and he’s on crutches as he finds them in the living room. 

“Fractured ankle,” he says and sighs and sits down beside Kibum before he gently kisses Yoojin’s forehead. Her nose wrinkles in her sleep. Jinki slowly slips into the kitchen to clean up what still needs to be cleaned. Kibum gently laces his fingers with Minho’s and sends him a smile. 

“How are you going to get home?” he asks in a quiet voice as to not disturb the sleeping girl. Minho sighs again, this time deeper than before. 

“I don’t know.” Kibum doesn’t know why he suggests it but he does. 

“You can sleep here,” he says and Minho shakes his head. 

“It’s really nice of you but where would we sleep? In bed with you and Jinki?” This time Kibum shakes his head. 

“We have an ottoman you can borrow. It’s really not a problem.” Jinki enters the living room in passing just at that moment. “Right Jinki?” The older man hums and turns towards them. 

“What?” he asks and Kibum sends him a smile. 

“Minho can borrow the ottoman so he doesn’t have to get home with a fractured ankle and Yoojin?” Jinki shrugs. 

“Of course, I’ll find it.” Minho looks at Kibum like he doesn’t believe what just happened and Kibum sends him a wide smile. 

5 minutes later the sofa table has been pushed to the corner, the ottoman is placed in front of the couch and Yoojin is sleeping gently on the couch while Minho is laying on the ottoman. Kibum slinks into the bedroom after he has brushed his teeth and curl into Jinki. The other is warm and Kibum can’t help himself when he softly hums and presses a kiss to Jinki’s naked shoulder. 

“You know,” he whispers and turns his head to make sure the door is fully closed. Jinki hums to let the other know he’s still awake. “You’re hot when you get protective of your kitchen.” Jinki turns around in his hold and lets his hand rest on Kibum’s chest, just above his own handwriting. 

“You’re ridiculous,” he whispers back but Kibum knows he doesn’t mean it. 

“Maybe.” Kibum nuzzles closer and kisses Jinki’s nose. “But you know I’m right.” Kibum lets his fingers dance over Jinki’s chest and down his stomach until Jinki breathes out a chuckle. 

“We can’t,” he says and Kibum pouts against Jinki’s chest, quickly turning it into kisses on his collarbones. 

“Why not?” Kibum whispers and looks up from where he just pressed a kiss to Jinki’s pulse point. 

“Your soulmate is sleeping in the living room,” Jinki says and Kibum just presses another kiss to Jinki’s pulse point. 

“My soulmate is also in here and I want to cuddle.” Jinki rolls his eyes and removes Kibum’s hands as they move a little too low. 

“Goodnight baby.” His voice speaks of finality and Kibum just wraps his arms around Jinki’s midsection so he can rest against Jinki’s beating heart. He slowly falls asleep, wrapped in love. 

 

Yoojin makes one hell of a drama the next morning when she learns that her father can’t take her trick or treating because he has fractured his ankle. They all try to calm her down but nothing works until Kibum promises that he will go with her. Yoojin is dressed in her zombie outfit and Kibum has even helped her with make-up. Minho didn’t exactly fancy his daughter in fake blood but he, too, has to admit that Kibum has done a good job. She runs to the hall to wear her shoes when she remembers something and runs back into the living room and orders that Kibum wears something scary as well. Minho laughs and Kibum sends him a challenging gaze. He can be scary too. He’s not as scary as Yoojin, obviously, but she deems it good enough anyway and drags him with her. 

Kibum takes her hand as they set out on their quest for candy. The streets are full of people dressed in costumes of all kinds and Yoojin recognizes a classmate Kibum hasn’t seen before and runs away. 

When he finally finds her, he sends her a stern gaze and she lowers her head. The boy, Minwoo, and his mother joins them on their quest for treats throughout the neighborhood. There are people of all ages on the street and Kibum can’t stop the smile on his lips while he talks to Minwoo’s mother. The other is married to a woman and Kibum tells her about Jinki so as to not make her uncomfortable. He doesn’t exactly want to tell her about his two soulmates and he still remembers Yoojin being uncomfortable with the fact that Yewon and Jihyun teased her enough without knowing that her father has a male soulmate. If he can just make sure that Minwoo’s mother isn’t uncomfortable with being homosexual, then Kibum doesn’t feel the need to tell her that he’s bonded to Minho as well. 

She does eventually ask where he knows Minho and Yoojin from and Kibum tells her that Minho and him has been childhood friends and he’s like an uncle for Yoojin. He knows it’s a lie but what is he really supposed to say? Minwoo’s mother takes the bait though and doesn’t question him. They go through the streets while the kids collect as much candy they possibly can. 

The mood is light until Kibum suddenly gets a feeling of dread. He doesn’t know where it comes from and neither Yoojin or Minwoo has been hurt. He texts Minho who texts back to say he’s watching TV and calls Jinki who has just taken a cigarette break. The feeling doesn’t stem from that however. 

The wind gets stronger and his scarf tangles in a tree they pass and when he turns around so as to not be choked he sees a man hanging off of his taller friend. Kibum’s eyes are immediately drawn to the skinny male. He’s wearing a black leather jacket with a few pins, a white t-shirt and a black pair of skinny jeans. His hair is mostly hidden by a cap but his fringe is dyed purple. Kibum fights with his scarf when the other points towards him with his beer bottle and his friend laughs. 

“Get me away,” the purple-haired man says and the other instead walks a little closer to Kibum. He swears and Kibum suddenly realizes that this is the man that carved his neck with swear words that shouldn’t be there. He stares when the two disappear into the crowd and then he leaves his scarf as he hurries after them. He can’t find them in the people in costumes and he sighs. 

When he looks around he suddenly remembers Yoojin and then he realizes he left her to find a man he doesn’t know. He sighs under his breath as he goes back but he can’t find the tree that took his scarf and he can’t find Yoojin, Minwoo or his mother. Kibum can’t call Minho and tell him that he lost Yoojin though so he keeps looking through the mass of people. 

“Yoojin,” he calls out but he gets no response. Kibum doesn’t know how long he’s been looking when he’s at the brink of giving up and finds his phone so he can text Minho that he did indeed lose his precious daughter because he went after his third soulmate he, by the way, hasn’t told him about yet. 

Then he spots Yoojin in the middle of a crowd and run towards her. It isn’t until he has the girl enveloped in a hug that he recognizes his purple-haired soulmate and his companion. 

“Kibum,” Yoojin cries out and clings to him. Kibum tries to focus back on the girl but it’s almost impossible as the black leather jacket disappears. His friend, however, comes back and smiles at him. 

“Jongin,” he says and reaches a hand adorned with a lot of rings out towards Kibum. Kibum stands straight and takes his hand. Only then does he notice the piercings in the others lip. “Are you her father?” he asks and Kibum gently shakes his head, still a little mesmerized. 

“Her uncle. Thank you!” The other sends him another smile before he turns to Yoojin and pets her hair. 

“Will you be okay, sweetie?” he asks and Yoojin turns around and nods. Her eyes are teary when she turns back to Kibum and hits his stomach. “That’s good. Bye.” Jongin leaves with a small wave and Kibum looks after him. Yoojin clears her throat when she realizes he isn’t focused on her. 

“I want to go home,” she says and grabs his hand to pull him with her in the other direction. It’s only then that Kibum realizes that he actually lost Yoojin and that a stranger had found her to make sure she was safe. 

“Where did Minwoo and his mother go?” he asks when they’re halfway home and Yoojin looks at the pavement, kicking stones in front of her. 

“They said they would be waiting at the candy shop but they weren’t there, but Kai found me and promised to find you.” Kibum blinks. 

“Kai?” he asks and Yoojin nods, her gaze still locked on the stones in front of her that is being kicked in front. 

“He said I should call him Kai. His friend seemed drunk but he was very nice!” There’s silence between them. “I’m going to tell dad.” Kibum stops and this forces Yoojin to stop as well. She turns around to look at him and Kibum kneels in front of her to ask her to not tell Minho when she spots the curse words on his neck and reaches out towards them. 

“What’s this?” she asks and pokes a finger in them that has Kibum shivering. 

“Nothing, a tattoo.” She shrugs. 

“It looks like a soulmate mark.” Yoojin lets go of his hand and starts walking again and Kibum has to blink before he catches on and follows her. He catches up with her quickly but he still feels the need to tell her that it isn’t a soulmate mark at all. He feels a little guilty when he opens the door to the apartment complex and lets Yoojin in. The girl skips to the elevator and when she steps inside she yawns. 

“Had fun today?” he asks her as the doors slide closed and she nods. 

“I don’t think Yewon and Jihyun will tease me if you and dad become boyfriends,” she says and leans into him. Kibum isn’t so sure Yewon and Jihyun wouldn’t tease her so he says nothing. 

When he opens the door to the apartment there is silent. He asks Yoojin to take her shoes off. As he peaks into the living room he widens his eyes comically before he squeaks. Jinki and Minho are sitting on the couch, hands around each other in an embrace, faces so close to each other that it’s impossible their lips haven’t been touching mere seconds ago. Kibum turns around on his heels and catches Yoojin before she walks into the living room. 

“Let’s go clean your make-up off,” he says and she nods, her eyes now drooping. As he guides her through the kitchen to the bathroom, he sends the two men in the living room a glare. They are sitting apart from each other, actual space between their bodies after they heard him talk. Kibum helps Yoojin with her costume and her make-up before he lets her into the living room. Minho reaches out towards her and she cuddles close to her father while she relays her evening adventure. Kibum gets eye contact with Jinki and angrily nods towards the bedroom. 

He finds Jinki a minute later when he’s said goodnight to Yoojin and as soon as the door closes behind him he stares at the other. 

“What the fuck was that?!” he whisper-shouts and points towards the door to indicate what he has just walked in on in the living room. Jinki crosses his arms over his chest. 

“What?” he asks in defense and Kibum walks closer to him. 

“You were kissing,” Kibum says, emphasizing the last word. Jinki raises an eyebrow. 

“So are you?” Kibum lifts his hands in the air in frustration before he corners Jinki. “Are you jealous?” The question catches Kibum off guard and he stares at Jinki. 

“No,” he says with venom in his voice. “How dare you cheat on me?” This has Jinki angry and the older man grabs Kibum’s hands and forces him away from him, now cornering him instead of the other way around. 

“Cheat?!” he says and snorts. “I’m the one cheating?” He jabs a finger in Kibum’s neck right where the words are. “I’m the one with three soulmates?” Jinki kicks his left ankle lightly. “I’m the one who fell in love with my second soulmate without trusting my first?” He grabs Kibum’s arms and holds him against the wall. “I’m the bad guy?” His voice is low but the hurt is real but Kibum is just as angry. 

“I told you I didn’t know I was going to fall in love with him! You know this wasn’t ideal, but I didn't have a say in this! Why didn’t you tell me you’d fallen for him?” Kibum seethes. 

“Because I didn’t know!” Jinki glares at him, their faces closer together than he’d like to admit. 

“How can you not know?!” Kibum stands tall against the wall even though it’s pressing uncomfortably into his lower back. 

“I didn’t know I had fallen in love with him until I got home and he was there and everything just sort of fucking clicked! I must’ve been busy tending to your needs all the time!” 

“My needs?!” Kibum screeches and Jinki hushes him. “My needs? You’re so not tending to my needs, you live your own life and you know damn well how much I can’t live without you, so how about you just shut up?!” 

“You can’t live without me and you can’t live without Minho and you can’t live without the asshole that planted those two words on your neck but here you are, fucking demanding everybody’s attention and getting mad when we actually get along? Why the fuck is it that you care that I kissed him?! Yes, I kissed him, fuck, yes…” Jinki is interrupted when Kibum surges forward and crashes their lips together angrily. Jinki automatically lets go of his iron grip on Kibum’s biceps, only for the younger to gain control and push them towards the bed. Their kiss is angry and fiery and Kibum bites Jinki’s lower lip so hard he tastes blood but neither of them care when they tumble onto the bed and hands roam. 

“Fuck, you’re not getting away with this,” Kibum mumbles in between kisses and Jinki lets his hands drag down over Kibum’s back so he can cup his ass and massage it. 

“You shouldn’t talk,” he mumbles back, breathless before he latches onto Kibum’s pulse point and Kibum stretches his back in pleasure. They both groan in pleasure as their hands work to remove the offending clothing that is between them. When Kibum finally gets Jinki’s shirt off of him he sinks towards his chest. He lets his fingers run down over well-defined muscles and he smirks against Jinki’s sensitive skin as Jinki lets his fingers dig even deeper into his ass, still hidden by his jeans. Jinki groans when Kibum lets his tongue out to flick over his nipple. Then his hands disappear inside Kibum’s jeans so he can dig into the skin directly. 

“Fuck,” he says and Kibum sucks on his nipple enthusiastically, flicking his tongue over it in the way he knows drive Jinki crazy. Jinki spreads his ass cheeks as much as he can in Kibum’s pants until he gets enough, retracts his hands and starts opening them. Kibum lets go of his nipple, blows a bit of cold air over the wet bud and Jinki shivers beneath him. 

“Impatient, are we?” he whispers against Jinki’s lips before he connects them again. Jinki is working steadily on his pants but the kiss is dizzying in every way and it isn’t until Kibum lets go and sits on his lap that he finally gets the pants open and slides them down his thighs. Kibum smirks at the look in Jinki’s eyes before he leans down over the other. 

“Say it,” he purrs into Jinki’s ear and Jinki promptly grinds up into his now exposed hips and Kibum frowns. He pulls back, his pants still sitting somewhere mid-thigh and he sits down in Jinki’s lap, hands holding him against the bed. “Say it,” he demands, words sharp as he looks at Jinki. Jinki’s fringe is clinging to his forehead where a thin layer of sweat glistens. Jinki looks delicious like this but Kibum maintains his stance on his lap, holding the other down. 

“Fuck,” Jinki curses and pleads with his eyes. Kibum isn’t giving in, however. “I want to touch you,” Jinki breathes out and Kibum smirks before he leans down and presses his lips to the corner of Jinki’s lips. 

“Touch.” He barely gets the word out before Jinki has his hands on his cock. Kibum moans in pleasure at the touch and latches onto Jinki’s pulse point, only to hear him moan with restrained pleasure. Jinki strokes Kibum’s cock into a proud erection and Kibum has to pull away to gasp when Jinki starts fondling his balls. He crawls off of Jinki, the other’s chest heaving up and down, while he sheds his pants and underwear completely. Jinki eyes him hungrily and when Kibum nods, the other is sitting at the edge of the bed, lips curled around the head of Kibum’s cock. Kibum moans again, loud. 

Jinki starts the blowjob at a torturous pace until Kibum buries his fingers in his hair and forces him to go faster and deeper. Kibum’s moans slowly disappear into ragged breaths that speak of the pleasure Jinki is giving him. Jinki’s erection is painfully strained against his jeans but Kibum makes no move to release it any time soon. The older man is making small noises in the back of his throat, the mixture of pleasure and frustration. He lets go of Kibum with a small pop and sends him a smirk. Kibum shakes his head. 

“Not yet, baby,” he says and Jinki just gently scrapes his nails over Kibum’s cock. Kibum hisses and pushes him back against the bed. His naked form covers Jinki’s half-naked as he crawls over him and places kisses up his chest. When he reaches his collarbone he sucks a mark there to make sure people know Jinki is his. 

They’ve done it plenty of times before. Hickeys, nail marks, scratches. They’ve both had marks, Jinki more than Kibum, but they always seem to mark one another. Kibum looks up so he can press his lips to Jinki’s throat. 

“I want to fuck you,” he whispers against sweaty skin and Jinki jerks, clearly ready to be fucked. “Do you want me to fuck you?” Jinki whimpers and nods but Kibum doesn’t see it. Instead he lets his fingers dance towards Jinki’s restrained erection. “Tell me, baby.” He doesn’t get to say more before he hears someone clear their throat behind him and he turns around to be face to face with Minho. Jinki looks confused towards the door before he also realizes that they’ve been walked in on. 

“I don’t mind you two fucking, but Yoojin is sleeping and it really doesn’t have to get loud, okay?” he says and yawns. Kibum just nods mortified. Jinki sends him a lazy smile. Minho closes the door behind him when he leaves and Kibum looks at Jinki before he starts laughing. It’s loud and boisterous and everything Minho has asked them not to be but he can’t stop himself and it has Jinki chuckling as well. He pulls Kibum down and close to his chest and Kibum muffles his laughter in Jinki’s chest. When he has finally calmed down he sends Jinki a smile and Jinki pecks his nose and pulls the covers over them. 

“Well, that ruined the mood,” he says and Kibum smirks and fingers with the hickey on Jinki’s collarbone. 

“But if we’re just cuddling, can’t you undress and just cuddle with me fully naked?” He pouts a little, wants to be cute and Jinki just shakes his head fondly before he gets off of the bed so he can undress too. When he slips back under the covers and presses close Kibum sighs happily. 

 

Kibum closes his eyes and presses his palm against his forehead as he wakes up the next morning. He has ‘Old McDonald had a farm’ stuck in his head and a headache forming right behind his temples. He gets out of their bed and notices that Jinki isn’t there which is odd for the other. Kibum doesn’t question it, however, as he walks towards the kitchen. In there he finds Minho and Jinki talking animatedly over two cups of coffees. 

His eyes turn to slits against the lighting to prevent his headache from getting stronger. He’s not even sure whose lap he placed himself in until he hears Minho tell him he’s heavy. Kibum shrugs and reaches over the table to grab Jinki’s coffee cup. That is when he notices their fingers laced lazily over the table and he squints at them. 

“What’s this?” he says and nods towards their hands. He feels Minho’s other hand wrap securely around his waist while he takes a sip of Jinki’s coffee. 

“You know how you’re our soulmate, right?” Minho says. 

“How could I forget?” Kibum mumbles sarcastically and takes another sip of the strong coffee before it becomes too much and he hands it back to Jinki. 

“Minho and I have fallen for each other as well,” Jinki says and when Kibum actually looks at him he almost looks shy. It’s a look he rarely sports so Kibum turns to Minho in confusion. 

“But..?” he says because it makes no sense in his head. How are Minho and Jinki suddenly in love as well? For all the shit it caused him to be in love with them both and suddenly they’re here lacing their fingers over his kitchen table. Then it hits him, maybe they want to leave him and he fidgets a little. Kibum doesn’t want to hear that they’ve found someone else in each other and they don’t need him. They can’t do that, can they? He’s their soulmate. He shakes his head lightly to get back on track but it only makes his headache worse. 

“We want to ask if you want to be in a polyamorous relationship with both of us?” Kibum stares blankly into the wall when Minho says this and it isn’t until the other tickles his waist a little that he returns to reality. 

“What?” he asks and it’s a little stupid but Kibum can’t wrap his head around this. 

“The three of us in a relationship, Kibum,” Jinki elaborates and Kibum shakes his head lightly again. 

“When?” he asks and directs his gaze back to their hands. Minho sighs behind him. 

“Over the past couple of weeks, I guess. It’s new and it’s not as deep as our love for you but … wouldn’t it be easier if we could just be together all three of us instead of being jealous of one another and …” He pauses and Kibum counts 30 seconds before he continues. “My crush on Jinki would’ve probably only gotten worse and then we’d had drama all again. Isn’t this better?” Kibum spends 10 seconds thinking it over before he agrees and slumps towards Minho’s chest sleepy. 

“Headache,” he mumbles and Jinki chuckles from the other side of the table. He doesn’t see anything with his eyes closed but he’s pretty sure it’s Jinki’s skilled hands that lifts him off of Minho’s lap and puts him to bed again. His headache only develops into a migraine that leaves him in front of the toilet later on. 

 

Minho tilts his head and looks at Kibum. Kibum fumbles with his hair and tilts his head to mimic Minho. Minho just sends him a smile. 

“What’s that?” he asks and touches his own neck. Kibum mimics his movement once again except his fingers don’t meet smooth skin but the scarred curse words and he swears. It has Minho laughing. “Another soulmate?” Kibum sinks into the couch and tries to disappear in his t-shirt but it has a low neck and it’s impossible to pull it up so it can cover the words on his neck. Minho reaches out towards Kibum’s shoulder and gently touches him before he lets his finger slowly move towards the words. 

“I would’ve told you,” Kibum mumbles but Minho only moves closer until he’s right in front of Kibum. 

“It’s okay,” he whispers and presses a light peck to Kibum’s lips. Kibum pulls a little away. 

“I don’t know who it is?” It comes out as a question but Minho doesn’t seem fazed by it. 

“So we’ll have to find them?” Kibum blinks. 

“What?” There’s silence in the living room as Minho lets his fingers run up and down the words. 

“Your third soulmate. You have to find them, don’t you? You’ll be miserable without them, won’t you?” Kibum shrugs. 

“I found you so I don’t know. I’ve never met them.” Minho sends him a smile and pecks his lips again. 

“It’s okay. I can share you with one more.” This has Kibum raising an eyebrow. “But only if they stop swearing, I can’t have Yoojin learning words like this.” It has Kibum laughing and Minho’s smile only grows with the sound. When Kibum presses their lips together in a sweet kiss he feels lucky. For everything he fucked up, Jinki and Minho knew how to fix it. Maybe he wasn’t that unlucky. 

 

Kibum’s walking through the large doors of the climbing hall one day in late November when he sees Minho and quickly finds his way to the other. Minho points through the glass window and into the climbing hall and Kibum easily recognizes the tall 7-year-old girl on the wall. Minwoo had told her about climbing and she had convinced Minho to let her try as well. Now she has fallen in love with it. 

He smiles and grabs Minho’s hand gently before lacing their fingers together and the other just lets him. Kibum lets his eyes roam over the hall beneath them but then he catches sight of a woman in climbing gear. Her hair is a purple bob cut and she’s directing the children up the walls while watching out for them. When she ends the class Kibum has a strange feeling he knows her. He drags Minho with him a couple of steps before the other stops him and looks at him questioningly. Kibum can’t tell Minho that he wants to talk to the woman, that something pulls him towards her although they’ve never met so he gives up and shakes his head as a silent answer to Minho’s silent question. 

20 minutes later they’re joined by Yoojin and Minwoo. 

“Yoojin,” Kibum asks and gains the attention of all three. “Who’s your instructor?” Yoojin sends him a wide smile. 

“That’s Miss Lee! Isn’t she pretty?” She sighs dreamily and Kibum nods. She is indeed pretty. But it’s not her beauty that has him caught and the look Minho sends him tells him that Minho suspects something else entirely. They take Minwoo home first before they go back home to Minho’s house. In the kitchen Kibum waves off the unspoken conversation about miss Lee. 

 

“Don’t you want to move in with us?” The question catches both Jinki and Kibum off guard. Jinki looks over his shoulder and nods back towards the kitchen. 

“I have to get back and help them out,” he says. “Enjoy your meal.” Then he disappears back into the kitchen and Kibum is left staring at Minho with wide eyes. He blinks when Minho steals a little of his food before he gets back to himself and brings his plate a little closer to himself. Minho just grins. 

“Move in with me and Yoojin. It would be easier for all of us anyway,” he says and Kibum has to admit he has a point. It doesn’t make it any easier to swallow the question though. 

“But would Yoojin like that? I mean, it’s only been 6 months or something since we met?” Minho shrugs. 

“I asked Yoojin what she would say if you guys moved in and she didn’t object to it. Don’t worry, I don’t need you to be babysitters or anything. I just thought it would be easier if we lived together all of us. I don’t want to say goodbye every other night when we meet because we have to our separate ways. At least think about it? Talk it over with Jinki?” He nods towards the kitchen and digs into his dish of French cuisine Kibum isn’t going to try to pronounce. 

Minho has a valid point, something Kibum has been thinking about as well but he knew there wouldn’t be room enough for four in the apartment. In Minho’s house, however, there will be enough space for all of them and Yoojin would still have her room. He would end up moving further away from the clinic but he takes so much public transportation anyway so moving further away wouldn’t really matter. He would just have to get up earlier. 

“I’ll discuss it with Jinki,” he says and picks up his fork. Minho just laughs fondly at him when he says the only thing in French he knows. 

 

Kibum is walking through the baby store, looking at an array of toys and clothes and he has no idea what to get for Nicole. He cannot not buy her a Christmas present. In the end, he abandons the idea of giving her something for the baby and decides that he can always buy that at the Christening if that is to happen. Or whenever he visits her in the hospital after the baby has been born. 

That leaves him with another problem, though, he still needs a Christmas present for Yoojin and it has been years since he bought a child anything. In fact, Kibum can’t remember the last time he bought a Christmas present for a 7-year-old. He does have a couple of wishes but it doesn’t seem enough to just look through a list of toys and pick something. He wants the present to be special. 

Kibum walks through the streets as the snow starts falling and he pulls the coat closer around him. 3 hours later when he returns home he believes he has bought the best present of all. 

 

It turns out he hasn’t. Minho has bought his daughter a Lego castle and given her the promise of a new bicycle. She is opening Jinki’s present as Kibum nervously fidgets with his sweater. The navy blue sweater has Yoojin hugging him. It’s as soft as Kibum’s and Kibum suspects it’s from the same shop but he doesn’t say anything. Jinki grabs his hand and leans on his shoulder and Minho lets Yoojin onto his lap as she unwraps the present from Kibum. She gasps when she realizes it’s a better rock for Dangun to his enclosure and she sends him a wide smile. 

“Don’t I get a hug?” he asks in a teasing manner and she laughs and jumps off of Minho’s lap so she can hug Kibum too. She keeps opening her presents until she becomes tired and falls asleep on the couch. Minho picks her up and carries her off to her room and Jinki presses a kiss to Kibum’s cheek. 

“I have a present for you as well,” he whispers before he gets off of the couch. Kibum looks after him with a frown but he doesn’t get to ask before he feels someone ruffle his hair and Minho sinks onto the couch beside him. Kibum smiles when Minho rests his head on his shoulder and closes his eyes. He hears Jinki’s low ‘oh’ before he sees the other from the corner of his eyes with a square packet. Jinki hands it over with a shy smile and Kibum takes it in his hands. His movement has Minho opening his eyes and Jinki smiles sheepishly at him. 

“I’m sorry,” he says but Minho waves his hand as if to wave the concern away. 

“Give me a Christmas kiss,” he says and Jinki chuckles. 

“There’s no mistletoe,” Jinki argues and Minho frowns. The taller man lifts his head off of Kibum’s shoulder and looks over the couch at Jinki. He reaches a hand out towards the older and Jinki takes it. Kibum opens his present and stares at the watch he has been wanting for the past 2 years. He gasps and turns around on the couch. 

“Jinki,” he says as tears well up in his eyes and Jinki sends him a smile before he kisses his lips gently. This has Minho pouting slightly. 

“I know how much you’ve wanted it.” Kibum is overwhelmed and he stares once again at the watch before he puts it on the coffee table in front of him and turns around so he can put his arms around Jinki’s neck and pull him down into another kiss. When he lets go he turns to Minho and presses his lips towards Minho’s as well. Minho looks a little baffled when Kibum pulls away but Kibum just smiles at them both. 

“Merry Christmas,” he whispers. He watches as Jinki finally leans down to catch Minho’s lips as well. And although he doesn’t have a present to Minho or doesn’t get a present from Minho this is possibly the best Christmas he has ever had. 

 

“I don’t want to talk to you,” the woman in front of him says and takes a few steps away. Kibum follows her. 

“But…” he tries and she turns around on her heels and points a finger in his face. She’s dressed in a black t-shirt and the half-sleeved tattoo that shows itself under the fabric curls around her slim arm. 

“No. Listen, I don’t want to talk to you. Leave me alone and just don’t ever try to find me.” She leaves him alone in the climbing hall when Yoojin comes running from the locker room and sends him a big smile. Kibum is left staring at the woman. He’s sure he knows her, he’s positive he has seen her before, he knows he’s seen her friend before and he just knows that he can’t let her go. But she doesn’t want to talk to him. 

Her attitude is hostile to say the least and it’s frustrating Kibum mildly. He doesn’t know what to do, however. He can’t force himself on a woman he doesn’t know, they’re technically still strangers although his senses keep bringing him to her. Somewhere deep inside he’s sure it’s because she’s the one who uttered the curse words that are carved into his neck but he can’t be sure and he doesn’t know how he can talk to her. He could send Minho or Jinki and ask them to talk to her but he doesn’t want them to. He doesn’t want to put them in an awkward situation. It’s not their fault that he has multiple soulmates. He’s staring at the woman and her friend when Yoojin pulls at his coat. 

“Kibum, let’s go,” she says and Kibum blinks, waking up from his thoughts and he nods before he grabs Yoojin’s hand so he can walk her home after her climbing. 

When they come home the house is empty. It’s strange because Yoojin finishes her climbing at 6 pm and Minho should be off of work at 6 pm. Kibum asks Yoojin to feed Dangun before she starts her homework and when he listens to his voice mail it turns out that Minho needs to work over. Yoojin complains of hunger 20 minutes later. 

“Why do you keep asking Miss Lee if she wants to talk to you?” she asks while she watches him cook. Kibum chokes on his spit and turns around to look at Yoojin. 

“Nothing,” Kibum says and he knows it’s childish and immature to not want to talk about it. Yoojin should know, too, that he has another soulmate, that he’s been cursed by fate but he hasn’t been able to find the words to tell her that there is someone else out there. She has taken the addition of Kibum and Jinki well as long as they stay as ‘uncles’ and nothing more in public but neither of the two have any problem with being Yoojin’s uncles. Neither of them feel like they have the right to the title step-father anyway. 

Whenever they’re all in public Kibum and Jinki are engaged and childhood friends with Minho. There is nobody that know of their polyamorous relationship but ever since Kibum figured out that Yoojin was being teased he has been apprehensive with what image he gives the public. People doesn’t exactly need to know he has three soulmates either. Kibum is positive people wouldn’t be kind knowing that he has been given three soulmates and not only one. He hasn’t even told his parents yet and he doesn’t know how to say it. 

Jinki has promised to be there if he needs him. Minho did too but then realized that he was the second soulmate and that Kibum’s parents only knew Jinki. 

“Are you in love with her?” Yoojin asks and Kibum splutters. 

“Of course not!” He doesn’t want to defend himself in front of the 7-year-old but she makes it hard not to. 

“Mom was prettier!” The comment takes Kibum off guard and he blinks and turns the stove off and sits down in front of the child and smiles. 

“Really?” he asks and Yoojin nods. He has a feeling that Yoojin misses her mother. 

“Yeah! Mom was really pretty!” Kibum sends her a fond smile. 

“I bet. Her daughter is absolutely gorgeous! Only a beautiful woman could have a beautiful daughter.” Yoojin scoffs at him and returns to her homework but the smile on her face makes Kibum happy. 

Minho is exhausted when he comes home at 9 pm and he barely even looks at Kibum before he sinks onto the couch. He’s fast asleep 5 minutes later. Yoojin emerges from the bathroom with her toothbrush in her mouth. Her eyes are starting to droop as well and Kibum helps her get cleaned up. He’s about to put the blanket around her when she starts to protest. 

“I want dad,” she says with tears streaming down her cheeks and Kibum nods. He gets up and out so he can wake up Minho but the other is so fast asleep on the couch that it’s almost impossible. Minho is barely awake when he goes into Yoojin’s room and when Jinki arrives home at 10 pm Minho still hasn’t left Yoojin’s room. Kibum takes a sneak peek into the room as he brushes his teeth and his heart melts at the sight of the girl cuddled close to her father’s chest, both fast asleep in the small bed. He leaves them alone and goes to sleep in the large bed they share in Minho’s bedroom. He doesn’t know when Jinki joins him.f


	4. QUATRE

Kibum wakes up to a thick layer of snow the next morning. He’s barely awake when he gets out of bed and makes his way into the kitchen. Minho and Yoojin is awake and eating breakfast in the kitchen and Jinki is still sleeping. Minho looks tired. Yoojin looks like she’s having the time of her life, sitting on the table, her plate on the chair in front of her. 

“Good morning,” Kibum says. She looks up and sends him a smile. 

“Look at me!” she says enthusiastically and Kibum reciprocates her smile tiredly and rubs sleep out of his eyes. Minho just ignores his daughter and her unique way of eating breakfast. 

“There’s coffee if you want any.” He lazily gestures towards the coffee machine and Kibum hides a yawn in his hand before he grabs a cup and pours himself a cup of coffee. 

“It has snowed!” Yoojin exclaims a few seconds later, a drop of milk trailing down her chin. She removes it before it drops onto the chair and Minho just nods. Kibum groans. He doesn’t like snow. It’s inconvenient for him to get to work when there’s snow because the public transportation isn’t running as efficiently as usual when there’s a lot of snow and Kibum can’t just take a day off. His daily income depends on how many days the clinic is open and Joohyun has been sick the last couple of days so he’s the only one to run the clinic and save the injured animals. Minho gets up when he finishes his breakfast and pats Yoojin’s head a little. She turns around to frown at him but Minho doesn’t see her. 

“Get ready, we’re leaving for school in 10 minutes,” he says before he turns to Kibum to press a kiss to his cheek. Kibum is still leaning against the counter but he sends Minho a smile. “If you want a ride, you should get dressed,” he says and tugs a little at Kibum’s pajamas shirt. Kibum looks at Minho with a questioning gaze. 

“The clinic is in the opposite direction of the bank.” There’s no reason Minho should drive him to the clinic. Minho has to meet earlier than Kibum does anyway. Minho just shrugs. 

“If you want a ride, we’re leaving in 10 minutes.” With those words, he leaves Kibum in the kitchen as he goes to the bathroom to finish up. Kibum goes to the living room, hands clutching onto his coffee cup and when he realizes how much snow there really is, he decides that meeting earlier is fine if it means he can get a ride. He doesn’t have a lot of time to get ready, however, so when he meets them in the hallway, he’s only dressed in a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. Yoojin is closing her winter jacket and finding her gloves, Minho has started the car already, hoping to warm it up just a little so it won’t be icy cold to get into. 

The three of them file out of the house, the door locking behind them. Yoojin calls shotgun and rides in the front seat, Kibum in the back. She kisses her father when he parks in front of the school gate. Minho looks at Kibum in the rearview mirror. 

“Aren’t you going to sit in front? I’ll be so bored if you’re going to sit back there.” Kibum chuckles but climbs out of the car, only to hurry to the passenger seat. 

“You just wanted me to get out in the cold, didn’t you?” he asks and punches Minho lightly with his bare hands. Minho just laughs and leans over the middle to capture Kibum’s lips in a short peck. It has Kibum silent and they drive off, the music not loud enough to silence the car engine fully. The digital clock slowly makes its way towards 8.00. Kibum sighs a little. 

“You’re going to be late,” he says and Minho sends him a quick smile before he turns his attention to the road. 

“Don’t worry about that. You’d be stuck outside for an hour or more to wait for the bus.” He’s probably right but Kibum doesn’t like to think that he’ll be late because of him. When he’s finally opening the clinic, 2 hours before he should be he strides directly into the back room and starts making coffee. He drinks a cup and looks through a couple of new interesting articles on treatment of abdominal tumors in cats. 

30 minutes before his first patient, the front door opens and Eunseo steps inside. Her cheeks are red as are her eyes and her hair is a bit messy. Kibum looks up when she walks into the staff room and she shrieks, surprised to find him there. 

“Dr. Kim,” she says and quickly tries to hide her flushed cheeks, her red eyes and lay her hair down. 

“Are you okay?” he asks and tilts his head a little, surprised to see her in this state and so early before the clinic opens. Granted, he was there 2 hours before but he doesn’t expect his coworkers to come before 15 minutes before opening time. 30 minutes is odd but her appearance makes it even more odd. She nods and sniffles, Kibum can’t determine whether it’s the cold or something else. 

“Yes, it’s…” She points behind her. “I’ll be back.” The door to the bathroom closes 15 seconds after she has turned around and left the staff room. Kibum just turns to look at the door she had left mere seconds before. He’s waiting for her to come back but it takes longer than he had thought it would. When he doesn’t see her for another 5 minutes he gets off the couch and knocks on the bathroom door. 

“Eunseo?” he asks and she sniffles again. “Eunseo, are you okay? Do you need a day off? I can have Changkyun managing the desk today.” He’s genuinely concerned and when she opens the door, it’s obvious that she’s been crying. 

“I’m okay, Dr. Kim.” She doesn’t sound okay at all, Kibum notices and he sends her a smile. 

“Take the day off, Eunseo. We’ll manage, Changkyun and I.” Eunseo shakes her head no. 

“I’ll stay, Dr. Kim. I want to work and it’ll help me too.” She removes a tear that’s sliding down her cheek and sends him a smile. “Just don’t tell Changkyun that I came half an hour too early.” Kibum nods and promises he won’t but he looks after her concerned when she plops herself down in her seat at the desk and puts on her headset, ready to start the computer and do her work. Changkyun arrives 5 minutes late but the clinic hasn’t exactly been busy. He’s shivering when he enters and sends both of them a short smile while he curses the snow outside. Kibum can’t help his chuckle at the other’s misfortune and be grateful that he had someone to drive him this morning. 

 

The day is uneventful until a man enters with an overweight toy poodle for a health check-up. Kibum lets the dog sniff his fingers before he gently scratches its head to make it more comfortable in the room. There’s an odd familiarity to the man, but Kibum shakes it off as he focuses on the dog. Apart from the obvious overweight the dog is healthy and Kibum turns to the man while he examines the dog and talks about it. When he’s about to comment on the overweight, the man speaks up. 

“I’m sorry, but are you in contact with your soulmate?” It takes Kibum a good minute to figure out that it’s because he can read the curse words on his neck and not because he has seen Jinki’s words on his chest or Minho’s words around his ankle. Kibum sends him a glance and then turns his attention to the dog. 

“As you are probably already aware, Jjanggu is obese and really needs to lose weight. There is nothing majorly wrong with her right now, but it could very well lead to diabetes and the strain on her joints might cause arthritis in an early age, so you should have her on a diet and get her to exercise so she can lose some of her excessive weight.” Kibum turns around and looks through his cabinet so he can find the right vaccination. He hopes the man will take the hint. Kibum doesn’t want to talk about miss Lee and the words she imprinted on his skin, especially not with a stranger like the owner of the patient. The man doesn’t say anything about soulmates anymore until Kibum is finished with vaccinating the dog. 

“I’m sorry I asked,” he says and puts the leash on the dog again. Kibum just nods in a professional manner but he doesn’t say anything. The man leaves with the dog and Kibum can hear Eunseo greet him when he gets ready to pay. 

Kibum gets off three hours later and when he steps outside, it’s snowing heavily. He pulls his trench coat closer around him and rubs his hands together to keep them warm in the blistering cold. There aren’t a lot of people outside as he slowly makes his way through the street to the bus stop. There’s nobody at the bus stop either and Kibum hunches in on himself in the seat while he hides his hands between his thighs to keep them warm. But the bus doesn’t arrive and the cars drive by. 

He’s still the only person at the bus stop but he has seen a couple of pedestrians on the sidewalk. His fingers are near frozen an hour later and there’s still no sight of any bus. It’s strange because it runs every 10 minutes and there should have been 5 busses already but he’s frozen, only sheltered from the snow by the bus shelter and he’s alone. He can barely type on his phone and he has to blow warm air onto his fingers to get them to do what he wants them to. It’s painful to hold the phone against his cold ear and when someone finally picks up, Kibum spends a few seconds finding his voice. 

“Is the bus running?” he asks and there’s a noise on the other side as Jinki tries to figure out whether or not the busses are running in the heavy snow. The answer has Kibum sighing deeply. “Is the car home?” he asks this time. Jinki orders him to go back to the clinic so he can at least stay in the warmth instead of spending time outside. Kibum thinks it’s too late for him to ever get the heat back in his body but he stands anyway, his legs protesting in pain from the position they have been frozen into. 

It takes a lot longer for Kibum to get to the clinic and also 5 minutes longer to open the door. The waft of warm air has him shivering when he enters and shuts the door behind him. His fingers are numb and he walks to the staff room so he can let cold water flow over them in a steady flow. It takes minutes for his body to warm up and he’s still a little cold 5 minutes later, but at least his joints aren’t hurting anymore and he’s not shivering either. It’s getting dark outside and the clinic is eerily quiet with only Kibum there. 

It’s 7 in the evening when his stomach starts rumbling a little and he calls Jinki again. Jinki doesn’t pick up and Kibum sighs. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to pick him up, he’s working. He could call Minho but he doesn’t want to be a burden. It takes him 3 minutes of debating with himself before he calls Minho anyway. Minho is working late however and he isn’t able to pick Kibum up either. The cars that pass are getting fewer and the snow is getting heavier. In fact, he’s preparing himself for sleeping on the couch in the staff room when someone knocks on the front door to the clinic. Kibum startles and hurries into the reception, only to find Jinki outside, dressed in warm winter clothes, knocking again. He unlocks the door and Jinki steps inside, his dark clothes white with snow. He sends Kibum a sheepish smile and Kibum starts laughing as he embraces his fiancé and presses his lips to Jinki’s. 

“Hurry up, I only have 30 minutes,” Jinki says when Kibum lets go but he presses his lips to Kibum’s in a quick peck anyway before he turns Kibum around by the shoulders and pushes him gently towards the staff room. Kibum quickly gets dressed and he locks the door easily behind them while Jinki hurries back to the car. They’re driving carefully through the city, the snow blurring the view and the roads slippery with the black ice that has fallen somewhere as well. Jinki parks in front of their house 25 minutes later and Kibum leans over the middle to press a kiss to Jinki’s lips again. 

“I love you.” Jinki just nods and pokes at Kibum’s shoulder so he can get out of the car. “Drive carefully!” he says before he slams the car door and lets Jinki drive off again in the horrible weather. 

The house is silent as he sits in the living room, a cup of tea in front of him and the news playing on the TV. The weather is only supposed to get worse and they’re recommending people to stay indoors. He can hear the wind howling under the TV and he grabs the blanket on the couch so he can cuddle into it. Kibum doesn’t like to be alone. It’s not that he’s afraid of being alone as such but the silence isn’t very reassuring when he knows that the two men he loves are outside and supposed to drive home in this weather. 

He stays awake until the front door opens and he hears the noise when someone sheds their jacket and shoes in the hallway. Yoojin emerges first and yawns into her hands. Minho peeks in last to find Kibum and he sends him a small smile. Yoojin has been with her grandparents for the day after school and Kibum is especially happy that neither of them were supposed to pick her up. If he had been the one to pick her up she would have had to wait for a long time. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t pick you up,” Minho says when he sits on the couch beside Kibum. Kibum shakes his head. 

“It’s not your fault the busses had stopped running. I’m just glad you’re safely home.” Then he feels another presence beside him and turns to look at Yoojin. 

“Dad?” she asks and blinks innocently. Minho looks at her and blinks confused as if he doesn’t know what she wants. “Daaad.” Minho still doesn’t respond but Kibum can see that the corners of his mouth are slowly curling upwards. “Daaaaaad.” 

“Whaaaat?” he finally responds and Yoojin grins. 

“Can I feed Seondeok?” Minho sends her a smile. 

“Have you fed Dangun?” Yoojin points towards the kitchen where the blackboard cupboard tells her when the snakes have to be fed. 

“It’s not time yet!” Kibum can hear her snicker at the thought that her father doesn’t know this. Minho just fakes his surprise. 

“It isn’t?” Yoojin shakes her head and gets off the couch only so she can climb into his lap and put her hands on his cheeks. She guides his head so she can look directly into his eyes before she asks him again. 

“Can I please feed Seondeok?” Minho gives up then and sends her a blinding smile that has Kibum’s heart beating faster. 

“Yes,” he says and she jumps off of his lap and into the kitchen to find the frozen mice. Minho just shrugs a little and sends Kibum a smile before he gets off of the couch as well. Kibum watches as father and daughter feed the emerald tree boa. Minho sends her off to get dressed for bed when they’re done feeding the snake and sits down beside Kibum again. Kibum just grabs his hand and intertwines their fingers. They don’t say anything, just listens to the news and the wind. Yoojin backhugs Minho over the couch when she’s dressed in her nightgown and he turns around in her hold. 

“Read for me, dad.” He turns to look at Kibum but Kibum just tells him to go read a book. Yoojin kisses Kibum’s cheek and runs back towards her room, Minho following her. 

Kibum is fumbling with his phone when Minho comes back into the living room. Jinki still hasn’t arrived home and it’s been an hour since he got off of work and Kibum is getting increasingly worried. Minho puts his hand on Kibum’s shoulder in an effort to comfort but it does little to help. Kibum is creating a million scenarios of something going wrong, of losing Jinki until Minho pulls him against him and puts his arm around him, holding him close. Kibum can smell his cologne and his warmth is reassuring and it helps ease Kibum’s worry a little. 

“I’m sure he’s okay,” Minho whispers and Kibum nods a little. He can’t be as sure as Minho is but he wishes to be optimistic. The door slams open a minute later. 

“Holy shit,” Jinki says out loud and Kibum hurries off the couch and into the hallway. Jinki’s hair is filled with snow and he’s shivering of cold. Kibum doesn’t care when he wraps his arms around the other and presses close to him. Jinki is sending him a look of disbelief but Kibum doesn’t care. 

“I’m glad you’re safely home,” Kibum whispers and Jinki warms up a little and wraps his arms around Kibum as well. When they finally let go of each other Kibum is smiling a shy, little smile and Jinki is grinning a little. 

“Is Minho home?” he asks and Kibum nods. 

“We’re all safe.” Then he helps Jinki out of his jacket and grabs his hand so he can intertwine their fingers. Jinki pecks Minho’s lips when he sees the other in the living room but he doesn’t let go of Kibum’s hand. Kibum is just thankful that he’s got both of them with him safely despite the weather being absolutely horrible. Minho gets up from the couch when he yawns and tells them he’ll go to bed. Jinki tells him goodnight too and Kibum stands in the middle until he decides that he can cuddle with Jinki for 30 minutes before he goes to bed too. Jinki gets a cup of coffee for his cold hands and settles on the couch with the remote control and Kibum places himself beside him and leans into his chest before he drapes the blanket over them. Jinki sends him a small smile and links their hands again and Kibum just closes his eyes and enjoys the comfortable scent that fills his nostrils. Jinki is safety and has been for the last 10 years. Kibum falls asleep against his chest. 

 

Yoojin is overjoyed the next morning when her school cancels and Kibum calls Joohyun who agrees to close down the clinic today due to the heavy snowfall that has continued overnight. This means that he’s going to stay with Yoojin as neither the bank nor the restaurant has decided to close. The roads have been cleared of snow and it makes Kibum feel better when he sends first Minho to work and then later Jinki. Yoojin is getting bored after she has finished her homework and played with Dangun and she starts walking restlessly around the house. 

“Kibuuum.” She drags the word out and waits for him to respond. “Kibuuuum,” she says again and Kibum looks up from the article he is reading on his laptop. “Don’t you wanna go play in the snow?” Kibum blinks. Then he turns to look out the window. The snow isn’t looking all that appealing to Kibum so he shakes his head. 

“How about we invite Minwoo over and you play with him in the snow? Then I’ll fix you hot chocolate and homemade cinnamon buns when you come back in.” Yoojin agrees that this is a better plan and she’s rushing out to meet her friend 30 minutes later when Minwoo arrives. 

They’re out in the snow within minutes and Kibum is standing in the living room and watching them with a fond heart. He starts on the cinnamon buns after 15 minutes of watching them, the music turned up so he can dance around in the kitchen as well. He doesn’t hear the door opening and he doesn’t turn around from the pot where he’s warming hot chocolate until someone grabs his hips. Kibum screams and turns around only to look into Jinki’s mischievous eyes. Minho is standing in the doorway with a glint in his eyes and Kibum can hear Yoojin and Minwoo in the hallway, getting undressed again. He glares at Jinki, who lets him go only to gently dip his finger in the hot chocolate in the pot and lick it off afterwards. 

“You need a little vanilla sugar,” he says before he moves away from Kibum. Kibum just stares at his fiancé with a dumb expression. 

“Fuck off,” he mumbles but he reaches into the cupboard to find the vanilla sugar anyway. Minho is helping Yoojin dry her hair so it doesn’t drip onto the floor while Minwoo is getting rid of his shoes. 

When the kids are finally done, they hurry into the kitchen so Kibum can serve them what he has promised earlier. Kibum is mildly confused to find both his soulmates home as well when they should be at work. It’s only 3 in the afternoon and neither of them is supposed to get off of work before 5. Minho grabs two cups more and Jinki takes the pot so he can serve the hot chocolate. Kibum is a little dumbfounded and just sits down in a chair and reaches in to take a cinnamon bun. Yoojin and Minwoo are eating their cinnamon buns happily, Jinki and Minho only drinking the hot chocolate. 

When Yoojin and Minwoo reach for their third cinnamon bun, Minho puts a hand on theirs and shakes his head. 

“Two are enough,” he says and Yoojin pouts cutely, hoping to convince him otherwise. 

“But dad,” she says but Minho just shakes his head again. She gives up and thanks Kibum for the food before she drags Minwoo with her into her room. Kibum gazes from one to the other before he finally decides to ask. 

“Why are you home?” Jinki and Minho gaze at each other before they turn to Kibum. 

“Did you listen to the radio?” Minho asks and Kibum shakes his head. It has started snowing again outside. 

“They made a snow storm advisory so both the bank and the restaurant decided to close earlier,” Jinki says. Kibum turns to look at the window. It doesn’t look like a snow storm at all with the snow falling slowly from the sky in big white snowflakes and he turns back to his soulmates. 

“Don’t you believe us?” Kibum can hear the cheeky tone in Minho’s voice and Kibum just takes the last sip of the lukewarm chocolate in his cup. He doesn’t answer the question because he trusts that they’re here for a reason but the snowstorm advisory does sound a little like a lie. 

 

It isn’t a lie, however, when an hour later, the wind is howling and the snow is drifting over the roads, the view obscured by the heavy snow. Minho has turned on the TV and called Minwoo’s mother to arrange a sleep-over between the two kids so nobody has to leave the house in the storm. Jinki is cooking dinner, a simple honey butter fried chicken but only because Yoojin has made him promise that he will create a croquembouche for her for dessert. 

Kibum is observing the two men with a feeling of being incomplete. He knows he should feel complete because he has both of them but somehow he can’t help but feel like he’s on the sidelines. Minho and his daughter are a family of the two of them, even if they try their hardest to make Jinki and Kibum feel welcome and with Jinki in the kitchen, the picture of a full family seems to fit them. Without him. Kibum shouldn’t be here, he doesn’t really belong. 

Two years ago he would have looked at him and Jinki and it would have been them in a domestic situation, a situation where people would look in and feel like they didn’t belong in this small family of two. Now he’s the one looking from the outside. He knows it partly has to do with the curse words on his neck and the fact that he isn’t talking to one of his soulmates but maybe he is doubting this whole polyamorous relationship too. It’s not that Kibum wants to doubt either Jinki or Minho because he knows more than anyone how genuine and beautiful they are. He just can’t help it anyway when Jinki calls them to the table to eat dinner. 

Kibum knows that Jinki can feel something is off. Minho might be able to as well, but Jinki has known Kibum for far longer and is more accustomed to his needs and his feelings and the way they affect Jinki. He doesn’t say anything during dinner though and Kibum keeps his smile on his lips as he observes the others. Jinki asks Kibum to stay behind after dinner while he starts the croquembouche. Kibum leans on the kitchen table, arms crossed over his chest. 

“What’s wrong?” Jinki isn’t looking at him but Kibum can hear the worry in his voice and he doesn’t know what to say to it. 

“Nothing,” he mumbles but Jinki isn’t believing him. He turns around so he can look at Kibum. 

“Tell me what’s on your mind.” Kibum looks away and towards the floor and it only serves to make Jinki certain that something is wrong. He grabs Kibum’s cheeks and gently forces him to look at him. Kibum is trying to avoid his gaze but Jinki is an expert in finding his eyes. 

“It’s nothing really,” Kibum mumbles again and Jinki kisses his nose tip quickly. 

“No, it isn’t. What is it?” There’s silent for a moment before Kibum sighs. 

“You should get back to your dessert. You promised Yoojin,” he says and Jinki just shakes his head gently. 

“Come on, Kibum.” Kibum knows that Jinki hardly ever pressures into talking if Kibum says he doesn’t want to talk. But he wants to talk, it’s not that. He’s just ashamed that he’s even feeling like this to begin with. 

“I feel incomplete,” he whispers and Jinki wraps his arms around him in an embrace. Kibum doesn’t even know what a big effect it really has on him or that the feeling of being incomplete is as strong as it is until he feels the tear that gently traces down his cheek and disappears into Jinki’s sweatered shoulder. Jinki doesn’t say anything to that but just lets him cry a few tears. Kibum slowly feels safe in Jinki’s embrace and when he removes his face from Jinki’s shoulder, Jinki gently removes the tear tracks from his cheek. 

“We’ll figure out what to do, okay? I love you.” Kibum nods a little and sniffles before he, too, removes the tear tracks to make sure they’re really gone. 

“I’m sorry. I love you too.” Jinki just shakes his head and presses a gentle kiss to his lips and Kibum can feel the love. Yoojin interrupts them in kitchen 2 seconds later when she barges in to ask when Jinki is done with her small croquembouche and Jinki turns around to her. 

“Do you want to help me make it?” She is positively overjoyed and she hurries to find Minwoo so he can help out too and Jinki presses a kiss to Kibum’s lips again before he gently pushes him out of the kitchen so he can start heating the sugar into caramel. Kibum finds Minho on the couch and plops down beside him. There’s an action movie playing on the TV. Minho doesn’t look at him when he puts his arm around Kibum and pulls him a little closer. Kibum just slowly relaxes against his side and rests his head on the taller man’s shoulder. 

He can hear the noises from the kitchen as the children play around with Jinki and the TV but he decides to just focus on the man beside him. Minho seems focused on the movie so Kibum doesn’t say anything to interrupt him, even if he wants to talk to him. Minho’s warmth is comforting, however, and that’s all he really needs. Yoojin and Minwoo enter the living room just as a car explodes on the TV screen. They’re both carrying a small, messy tower that is only a couple of choux pastry balls tall but they both look incredibly proud. Minho directs his attention from the TV screen to his daughter and her friend but his arm stays around Kibum’s shoulder. Jinki has a little dry caramel on his cheek and his smile only makes it even more visible. 

“Look!” Yoojin shows it to them and both Minho and Kibum praise their amazing French pastry, both well-knowing that Jinki has been doing most of it as he wouldn’t have let Yoojin and Minwoo play with the hot caramel. Jinki places himself on the armchair and turns towards the TV while Minho pretends to steal from both Yoojin and Minwoo. Kibum observes them and despite the emptiness that the third soulmate has left in him, the feeling of not belonging with the other two, the feeling of being useless and ruining a family that should have been perfect, disappears. He’s loved and he’s right where he belongs. Without a word, he turns around so he can peck Minho’s cheek and Yoojin rolls her eyes at them. Minho raises an eyebrow in question but Kibum says nothing and just sends him a smile. 

When Yoojin and Minwoo have finished their dessert, Minho gets up from the couch so he can send them to bed. Kibum shifts himself into a more comfortable position. Jinki has changed the channel into something that looks much like a documentary on wildlife around the world and Kibum smiles for himself. The noise quiets down when Minho has finally gotten the two to sleep. The only sound heard is the TV but Kibum is more than happy with that when Minho joins them in the living room and flops onto the couch and cuddles into Kibum. The silence is comforting and it doesn’t take long before Kibum falls asleep on the couch. 

 

The roads are snow free and the temperature a little higher in the following week. Kibum is busy at the clinic with a guinea pig with malocclusion. He’s seen it before; it comes regularly to get its teeth cut. When he opens the door, he’s met with a chill down his spine. In front of Eunseo stands a person in a large hoodie and slacks, a cap adorning their purple hair. Kibum can feel his heart speed up at the sight and he almost turns around immediately so he can shut the door and hope Joohyun takes the dog that is lying at the person’s feet. Eunseo spots him easily, however, and turns around to send him a smile. 

“Dr. Kim, could you take a look at this dog?” She then turns around to gesture the person towards Kibum before she turns her attention to the woman with the guinea pig. Miss Lee groans and lifts the dog. 

“I should’ve known,” she murmurs as she passes Kibum and walks into the examination room. Kibum usually doesn’t introduce himself with name to new customers but as he closes the door he decides that he’s going to do just that. 

“Hello, I’m Kibum.” He doesn’t know if he should shake her hand but she is focused on the dog on the table in front of her. 

“Lee Taemin,” she says and Kibum blinks confused. He could’ve sworn it was Miss Lee. The facial features are very much the same as the woman that teaches Yoojin in the climbing hall. “Eve hasn’t been eating the past week and I’m not sure why. Will you please take a look at him?” The dog whimpers at the table when the man gently touches his side. 

“Do you have a twin sister?” Kibum asks as he directs his attention to the dog. His heart is still beating like crazy. Being in the same room as Taemin makes Kibum feel complete, even if he doesn’t have Jinki and Minho with him. Taemin taps the table and it has Kibum instantly looking up. Taemin isn’t looking at him, however. The dog growls when Kibum presses a little too hard on the lower left side and he focuses back on the dog. 

“I fucking can’t believe it,” Taemin says under his breath and Kibum does his best to ignore him. It turns out Eve has an infection in his digestive tract and Kibum prescribes him some antibiotics. Taemin leaves the room as soon as Kibum hands him the prescription and Kibum turns around to look after him, his heart falling a little at the sight. The man walks away after he has paid and Kibum slumps against the examination table in the middle of the room and texts Jinki. He doesn’t get an answer before the next patient arrives, an old cat with cancer. 

 

When Kibum gets off of work he feels hollow. Jinki still hasn’t answered but there’s a text from Minho asking whether or not he can pick up Yoojin from climbing practice. Kibum is close to saying ‘no’ but he knows Minho only asks because he doesn’t want to burden his parents any more than necessary and something has come up at work so he can’t be there on time. The bus ride to the climbing hall has his mind back on Taemin. He’s positive that the man with the dog is related to Miss Lee in some way. Yoojin doesn’t really look at him when he steps into the climbing hall and Kibum instantly knows that something is off. It’s unlike her to ignore her with her best ability. Miss Lee ignores him too as if she’s aware of his presence without even looking at him. Kibum is only mildly confused about Miss Lee, however, as he focuses his energy on Yoojin. 

When practice ends and Yoojin reemerges from the locker room, Kibum is quick to find her. She barely spares him a glance and looks towards the floor again. Yoojin only answers his questions vaguely on the bus ride home and Kibum can feel his worry increase. She refuses to talk to him, however. She waits patiently for Kibum to unlock the front door and then shuts herself into her own room after she’s dropped her jacket and bag in the middle of the hallway like usual. Kibum gently puts her shoe to the side where they’re supposed to be before he picks up her jacket. 

When he grabs her bag, he notices a small slip of paper on the front of it. Kibum doesn’t know what it is or why Yoojin would stick paper to her bag and the alarm bells are ringing in his head. Something is off. It’s impossible for Kibum to get Yoojin to talk. She doesn’t even come into the kitchen when Kibum says there’s hot chocolate and fruit and he’s feeling terribly low when Minho arrives home from work, a questioning eyebrow adorning his beautiful face when his daughter doesn’t come to greet him. He turns to look towards Kibum, who is sitting in front of his cup of tea and eating fruit. 

“Where is Yoojin?” he asks and Kibum looks up and sighs. 

“In her room.” The silence is heavy and Kibum feels a lump in his throat until Minho nods and squeezes his shoulder reassuringly. Jinki doesn’t arrive home for dinner and Minho has been with Yoojin ever since he came home from work and Kibum hasn’t seen either of them. He’s been cleaning then kitchen and the living room and is now wandering around aimlessly, trying to find something to do or something to occupy his mind with but there is nothing he can do but worry. When the door to Yoojin’s room finally opens, Kibum has been trying to talk himself into knocking so they at least can eat dinner together. Minho sends him a smile and Yoojin hurries into the kitchen and Kibum sighs heavily. 

He feels like a burden during dinner but Minho is trying his best to lighten the mood, something Kibum appreciates a lot. Jinki arrives home an hour later while Kibum is sitting on the couch, but he’s cradling his head with his hands, fingers massaging his forehead. He’s looking straight ahead although it’s obvious that he’s in pain and Kibum quickly gets up so he can hurry towards him. A hand on Jinki’s cheek and forehead tell him the other has an obvious fever as well. 

“How strong?” Kibum asks in a whisper so as to not strengthen the other man’s headache. Jinki just groans and presses Kibum’s cold hand back to his cheek. There’s silence in the hallway for what feels like an hour until Jinki releases Kibum’s hand and presses two fingers against his forehead again. “Go to bed, baby.” Jinki just nods, only to regret with a soft whine and he walks slowly into the bedroom. Kibum looks after him. Jinki will have a solid case of sinusitis tomorrow, he always does when he comes home with a headache and fever like this. Kibum feels bad for him, but he knows that sleep will do him better than any home remedy Kibum could ever make and that he’ll be sick for a day or two if he’s lucky – more if he’s unlucky. Minho joins him on the couch a minute later and sighs. 

“What’s wrong?” The worry he’s held for Yoojin ever since he picked her up from climbing practice is suddenly tenfold stronger. 

“I don’t know what to do,” Minho says and closes his eyes while he rubs at his face. “I’m a bad father.” Kibum changes his position slightly so he can look at Minho who is still resting on his shoulder. 

“No, you’re not.” There’s silence in the room before Kibum continues. “What happened?” 

“Someone from school apparently saw us kissing and they’ve been bullying Yoojin with me ever since. She refuses to tell me how long they’ve been bullying her. I didn’t even notice that something was off.” His voice sounds a little strained as if he’s trying not to cry. Kibum gently runs his hand over Minho’s shoulders in a reassuring motion. 

“You’re not a bad father, Minho.” There are many things Kibum doesn’t know, he’ll admit to that. But he knows that Minho is the most admirable father he has ever met and that Yoojin has grown to be a wonderful, kind-hearted girl. There is simply nothing farther from the truth than those words. 

“But how do I stop the bullying?” Kibum pauses for a second while Minho ponders on his question. He wishes he knew the recipe to stop the bullying but it’s not the first time Yoojin has told him that her supposed friends were not exactly kind. The only solution that comes to him is to change her school but he can’t propose that idea to Minho and so they end up sitting on the couch in silence. 

 

Kibum finds himself in the library the next afternoon. He’s looking for a book on soulmates because his dream was confusing and brought his attention back to Miss Lee and Lee Taemin and he needs to know if it’s possible that he can feel related to a pair of twins instead of only one of them. He’s positive that it’s Miss Lee that left the words on his neck but he can’t forget the way Lee Taemin pulled him in as well. The search turns out to be more extensive than he had thought it would be and in the end he has to find the librarian to ask him if he knows of a factual book on soulmates. Kibum is directed to an old book filled with old myths and beliefs of soulmates. It looks more like fiction but the librarian swears that they are old tales from the past when soulmates were a new concept in the world. It’s almost 6 in the afternoon and Kibum is starting to get hungry. He borrows the book instead. 

When he enters the house, he finds Jinki in the living room, dressed in his pajamas and a robe with a cup of tea. He doesn’t look like his sinusitis is any better. Yoojin is playing with Dangun in the armchair, the snake showing affection the best way it can. Minho is in the kitchen, cooking something that smells a little like fried rice. As Kibum enters the living room, he gets eye contact with Yoojin who seems instantly intrigued by the big book he has brought home. 

“Put Dangun into his enclosure, Yoojin,” Kibum says and then promises her that when she has put the snake away, she can look through the book with him. Minho raises a questioning eyebrow when he notices the title of the book as he serves the food in the living room so Jinki doesn’t have to move more than necessary. Jinki just sends him a grateful smile. Kibum shrugs and avoids answering the unsaid question. 

Yoojin comes back 2 minutes later and decides that the food is worth more of her attention than the book. Jinki doesn’t eat a lot when he’s sick and today is no exception. Minho is talking about his day at work that was more stressful than usual because of a customer that tried to rob the bank and Yoojin listens in silence to her father that suddenly has become a hero in her eyes. Minho assures her that he did nothing and that it wasn’t anything like the movies but Yoojin doesn’t believe him and Kibum joins her side and agrees with her – Minho is a hero. It has Minho slightly flustered and Jinki chuckling before he groans in pain. When they finish eating and Minho and Yoojin are doing the dishes, laughter surging from the kitchen, Jinki leans on Kibum’s shoulder and points towards the book. 

“Why are you so interested in soulmates suddenly?” The interest is new and Jinki knows that. Kibum just sighs. He might as well tell him about the strange attraction he felt towards Taemin when he’s positive Miss Lee is his soulmate. 

“Yesterday I had a customer at the clinic and he made me feel strangely connected to him. You know, like soulmates. He looked a lot like Yoojin’s climbing instructor, but I’m positive that it’s Yoojin’s climbing instructor that is my soulmate, the magnetic pull towards her is so strong. Maybe the magnetic pull can be felt between twins and he was the twin brother of Yoojin’s climbing instructor.” He shakes his head a little. “It makes no sense, but I want to know.” Jinki just hums in agreement and closes his eyes while Kibum looks through the book. There are different theories, myths, and legends about the soulmates but none that state that the magnetic pull of soulmates should be able to push through twins. 

When he closes the book, he’s not anywhere closer to a breakthrough and it’s making him a little annoyed. Jinki has fallen asleep by now and Minho is done putting Yoojin to bed with a promise of protecting her like the hero he has apparently become. Kibum gently removes the hair that has fallen into Jinki’s eyes and traces his features with a finger. His heart skips a beat and a smile creeps onto his lips as he watches his sleeping fiancé. Jinki is beautiful, even more so in his illness. Kibum gently presses his lips to Jinki’s forehead as much as he can and then startles a little when he sees Minho in his periphery. Minho doesn’t say anything but lets Jinki sleep on Kibum’s shoulder as he finds his horror book and starts reading.

Kibum is sitting in the silence of the living room but it isn’t uncomfortable. Deep inside he wishes there was a third soulmate with him but the thought is quickly swallowed by the love he has for the two that are present with him. He sends Minho a kind smile when the other looks up from his book with a questioning gaze. Kibum can’t move but he whispers a silent ‘I love you’ to Minho anyway and it has the other chuckling. When his shoulder starts to hurt, he gently takes Jinki’s head in his hands and guides him to lay in his lap. It has Jinki stirring awake and he rubs his eyes tired. 

“I should go to sleep,” he says, voice hoarse. With a pained expression he gets off of the couch, the headache seeming to spike back again as he walks slowly towards the bedroom, personal hygiene forgotten. Kibum sends his back a small smile before he yawns and gets comfortable on the couch. In the dim light of the floor lamp they’re reading each their books. Minho closes his book before Kibum, although Kibum’s eyelids are heavier than Minho’s. 

“We should go to bed too,” he says and gently nudges the book out of Kibum’s hands. Kibum doesn’t protest, another yawn slipping through his lips. He just nods lightly when Minho grabs his hands and pulls him to his feet. They’re looking at each other with a fond look before Kibum presses his lips to Minho’s. The kiss is lazy and Minho’s hands slowly sneak from Kibum’s to his lower back while Kibum places his hands on Minho’s shoulders. He’s pressing closer and Minho’s warm hands feel like safety and protection. As he lets go, he decides that Minho is just the hero Yoojin has decided him to be. Minho chuckles a little before he pecks Kibum’s lips again and then grabs his hand and wiggles out of Kibum’s hold. 

“Bed,” he simply says and Kibum nods and follows his soulmate into the bedroom. They change into pajamas in the darkness so they aren’t going to wake up Jinki. Kibum is brushing his teeth in the bathroom, his eyes closed, when he feels strong arms around his midsection. The arms disappear soon after but the presence behind him is still there. Kibum can hear Minho brushing his teeth, the movement of his hand and the sound of the brush over his teeth have Kibum smiling around his own toothbrush. He opens his eyes when Minho shift behind him to spit the foam out and poke his side. 

“Are you awake?” he whispers and Kibum chuckles. “I’ll be there in a minute.” He squeezes Minho’s wrist in a promise and the other leaves. Kibum stares at his reflection in the mirror for minutes when he finishes brushing his teeth. He observes his own face and imagines Jinki and Minho behind him, but the incomplete feeling sneaks up on him in the silence of the night. Kibum leaves the bathroom so he can climb into bed with Minho and Jinki. 

 

“I can’t,” he says and locks the door to the clinic. His phone is balancing between his shoulder and ear as he pockets the key and wriggles his fingers into his gloves. “No, I have to meet her at the café, I can’t bail out on this. It might be my only chance.” He grabs the phone with his hand when it’s finally snug in its gloves and then lifts his head so he won’t get neck pains. “I know. Why don’t you ask Jinki?” He walks down the street, avoids running into everybody else who are on their way home as well. “I forgot. But what do you want me to do? I can’t give this up. Can’t your mother do it?” He waits for a second or two. “How about your brother then?” He sighs and turns a corner and walks down into the subway station underground. “I can’t be there before 6 earliest and you know it’ll be too late by then.” He boards the train and snatches a seat before a college student. “I’m sorry, I really am.” He sighs heavily. “I’ll see you later. I’m sorry.” With those words, he hangs up and leans back in his seat. 

It takes 15 minutes to get to university station he has to get out at and Kibum turns to look around when he finally exits onto the street. A few meters away he locates the café on the other side of the road. He wraps his trench coat further around him and searches for a cross-road so he can get to the other side. Kibum has to walk a few meters too far to cross the road. He spots her immediately as soon as he enters, her purple hair obvious between the shades of black and brown that surrounds her. Kibum feels his heart flutter nervously. Considering that this may be his only chance of a talk with a soulmate that so far has avoided him. 

He orders a latte and then turns to look at her again. This time she’s with a man with chestnut brown hair that laughs at something she says. Kibum feels his stomach fall as he approaches the two and he almost considers turning around and leave until he remembers what he told Minho earlier. Kibum doesn’t even get to clear his throat when he stands in front of the table before the man notices him and gets out of his chair. 

“I’m glad you’re here! I’ll be on my way, Tae,” he says and the girl sighs and nods and waves her hands as if to wave him away. He’s laughing before he leaves them alone. Kibum can feel his palms turn warm and he runs them over his trench coat before he reaches out towards the girl. 

“I’m Kibum,” he says. The girl doesn’t shake his hand but points to the chair that the chestnut-haired man left seconds earlier. 

“Taeyeon.” There’s an uncomfortable silence and Kibum slowly opens his jacket and sheds his scarf, at least so it doesn’t look like he’s about to run out of the café as soon as he’s allowed to. 

“I met your twin brother a couple of weeks ago.” It’s a stupid conversation starter and the girl in front of furrows her eyebrows while she takes a sip of what looks like hot chocolate with marshmallows. 

“My twin brother?” she asks and looks at him with confusion. Kibum nods. 

“How is his dog?” This only serves to confuse her even more. 

“His dog?” Kibum nods again and feels his palms turn sweaty again. He quickly takes a sip of his latte and burns his tongue in the process. “I don’t have a twin brother,” she says after some time. Kibum blinks. 

“But… He definitely looked like you and his name was Taemin. He has to be related to you.” This seems to ring true to her and she starts laughing. When she stops laughing there’s a small genuine smile on her lips. 

“Oh, yeah, Eve is doing fine.” The name doesn’t really ring a bell in Kibum’s mind but he guesses it must be the dog. He also doesn’t want to ask more to her brother if it’s such a source of amusement for her. She then points to his neck and Kibum belatedly realizes that the words are now on full display in front of the person he deems is his soulmate. “Are those my words?” she asks and Kibum nods, a little embarrassed. He pulls a little in his collar but it’s not nearly enough to cover up the curse words. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t know I would mark your skin with curse words.” Kibum slowly relaxes in her company.

Taeyeon is pleasant even though she’s introverted and a little reserved. Kibum does his best to make the meeting as comfortable as possible because his heart is inevitably pulling him towards her and hoping for another meet-up in the near future. It’s an hour later wherein they have discussed boring topics such as interests and animals when the chestnut-haired boy returns and Taeyeon lights up in a smile. Kibum’s heart drops a little. 

“Is he your boyfriend?” he asks and although it’s only a shy whisper, both the boy and Taeyeon hears him. They both erupt into laughter and Taeyeon is wildly waving her hands in a no while the boy puts his arm around her shoulders with a mischievous glint in his eye. Taeyeon glares a little at him which only has him chuckling and retracting his arm again. 

“No.” She looks towards Kibum. “He’s the reason you got to meet me in the first place.” Kibum doesn’t really know what that’s supposed to mean but he nods anyway because he’s thankful for the opportunity. “But it wasn’t as bad as I expected it would be. I’ll see you later?” Taeyeon gets out of her chair and grabs her jacket before she shoves the boy away and walks out. Kibum only registers her words when she disappears into the dark evening with her friend. Then he realizes that he never got a phone number. Her promise of ‘see you later’ suddenly becomes empty and Kibum orders another latte to take with him home. 

Yoojin is standing in front of the TV, her eyes intensely watching the TV screen while she tries her hardest to beat Jinki in Mario Cart. The loud screech of victory when she succeeds have all three men present grimacing. Minho turns to Kibum. 

“How did it go?” he asks and Kibum just shakes his head. He still hasn’t processed it and he doesn’t want to talk about it. 

 

Kibum doesn’t talk to Taeyeon in the next couple of weeks. Yoojin has transferred to another school to stop the bullying. The school is closer to the climbing hall which means she has been allowed to go there after school on her own and most days Minho has been off of work to pick her up. It’s easier with the car and Kibum knows. Still his body yearns to talk to the third soulmate and he feels so desperate one afternoon in the middle of February that he begs Minho to pick up Yoojin. 

As he approaches the climbing hall, he feels his heart beat in unnatural nervousness and he barely avoids walking directly into a window. Yoojin has succeeded her challenge on the smaller wall and is ready for the bigger one and Kibum sends her a proud smile and two thumbs-up to show her and she laughs before she rushes off to find Minwoo. 

Then he spots Taeyeon and looks towards the floor. The woman is dressed in a pair of black slacks and a big hoodie that mostly hides her feminine figure. Her hair is tied into a small ponytail. A deep breath later and Kibum walks towards her. 

“Taeyeon…” he says and doesn’t get a response. “Hey.” He puts his hand gently on her shoulder and she turns around in surprise. 

“Oh,” is the only thing she says. “Hang on.” She then turns back so she can direct the kid off the wall safely and when everybody is down and on their way to the locker room. “I believe you have something you’ve forgotten to tell me.” Her voice is stern and Kibum swallows the lump in his throat. 

“What?” he asks, a little confused because it’s only the second time after they actually talked and he’s not sure what he could have possibly missed. 

“Soulmates, eh?” Kibum is confused. 

“You don’t feel it?” he asks and Taeyeon scoffs. 

“Of course I feel it! But why the fuck are we soulmates when you’re going around with two others?” Kibum blinks a little at her words. How does she even know that he’s abnormal and hated by fate? 

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” And he really isn’t sure but Taeyeon seems to believe he’s lying as she turns around to walk away. “Taeyeon,” he says and reaches out to grab her wrist. She turns around in his hold and glares at him in the deadliest way Kibum has even been glared at. 

“My name is Taemin.” 

“What?” 

“You heard me.” Kibum lets go of her wrist and the woman in front of him crosses her arms over her chest. “I’ll tell you if you tell me what all this soulmate bullshit is.” There’s silent between them while Kibum nods. He doesn’t get to say anything before they’re interrupted by Yoojin who’s pulling on his wrist.

“Kibum, Kibum! Let’s go home!” she says until she looks towards her instructor and feels the awkward moment. “Uh…” She looks from one to the other and then back again before she decides she doesn’t want to be in that. “I’ll find Minwoo!” and with those words she’s off. The woman taps her foot in the floor as if to urge Kibum on. 

“I … I don’t know how but apparently I have three soulmates and you’re obviously one of them.” He points to the words on his neck and she scoffs. “I can’t show you Jinki’s words here, but…” and then he lifts his pants and pulls down his sock to reveal the band of words on his ankle. The woman kneels down to inspect them before she sighs and believes his words. Kibum sighs relieved as well. 

“I’m genderfluid and today I’m Taemin.” Kibum nods a little dumb at her words until they really sink in. 

“So – what’s your preferred pronouns?” he asks and she sends him a smile.

“He/him when I’m Taemin – she/her when I’m Taeyeon. You’ll learn it soon enough.” With those words, she leaves him where he’s standing. 

Kibum finds Yoojin and Minwoo 5 minutes later in a corner of the climbing hall he has never been where the most dangerous walls are. The two 7-year-olds are staring at them and debating who will be the first to climb one when Kibum finds them. 

“Yoojin, let’s go home,” he says and she turns towards him. 

“Minwoo’s mom isn’t here yet, can’t we wait?” she asks and Minwoo nods beside her to confirm. Kibum sighs but then decides that he might as well wait until the woman can be here. It’ll be easier than trying to separate the two. So he nods. 

“Okay, but then we’ll have to go to the cafeteria so I can get a cup of hot chocolate.” Yoojin and Minwoo send each other a glance before the agree, well-knowing that it means they’ll get something too. 

When Kibum spots Taemin in the hall on the way to the main entrance with a duffel bag over his shoulder he hurries a little so he can tap him on the shoulder. 

“Would you mind giving me your number? I promise to tell you if I figure out why I was granted three soulmates but I really don’t know right now.” Taemin just takes his phone and types in a number. “Have a nice evening Taemin,” Kibum says when he gets his phone back. He doesn’t notice the small smile on Taemin’s lips as he exits. Kibum finds Yoojin and Minwoo, each with a stack of candy in their small hands and pouty smiles on their faces and he can’t stop himself when he gives in and buys them what they want.


	5. CINQ

The living room is full of balloons and there are a plethora of cupcakes, macarons and a Charlotte cake on the coffee table. There’s a banner saying Happy Birthday hanging in the ceiling and Kibum is walking around turning on the electric candles. When the front door opens the noise of 15 young kids fills his ears. He’s not sure how Minho managed to get them all home but he isn’t given time to speculate when Yoojin and her classmates join him in the living room. He recognizes Minwoo and sends him a wave and then greets them.

Kibum knows that it isn’t all her classmates that have been invited to her birthday but he never questioned why. He left Minho to actually ask the questions. Someone makes wide eyes at the cakes and Yoojin puffs out her chest in proudness and Minho can’t help but chuckle.

“Song first,” he says when people sit on the couch and on the floor, ready to dig in. A girl Kibum hasn’t seen before turns towards Yoojin and sends her a big smile and starts singing. The rest soon chimes in. It isn’t beautiful by any means but it makes Yoojin smile and laugh and as soon as they’re done they dig in. Yoojin hasn’t opened any of her presents yet but seeing her enjoy her company is more than enough.

Minho wraps his hand around Kibum’s waist and looks as the children eat the sweet pastries Jinki has been working to make in the past week. Soon enough they’re done with eating and Minho proposes a game. Kibum sinks away into the kitchen with the rest of the cake and some of the cupcakes so he can start putting them in the refrigerator. He hears the music and the laughter, Minho joining in once in a while and the whine of ‘dad’ that comes from Yoojin at times. It makes him smile.

He doesn’t know how many hours the house is full of 7 and 8-year-olds but when they say goodbye to the last of Yoojin’s classmates the silence of the house becomes a lot more intense. Yoojin sinks onto the couch and looks at her father with a pleased smile. Kibum is sitting next to her and she puts her feet onto the arm rest so she can rest her head in his lap.

“Dad?” she says and repeats herself when he doesn’t answer. Minho hums from the bedroom and Yoojin gets up from the couch again. Kibum can hear her ask for her presents and they enter the living room a couple of minutes later, Minho carrying her presents. Yoojin is yawning when she opens them but the shriek of happiness and the way she jumps into Minho’s lap tells Kibum that the Crazy Lights Magic Water Speakers are a hit. She’s gotten a necklace and a Monopoly game from her grandparents.

When she opens the present from Kibum and Jinki she gets wide-eyed and turns to look at him. Kibum ignores the disapproving look he gets from Minho.

“Really?!” she asks and Kibum nods. She turns to look at Minho with wide puppy eyes. “Can I dad?” Minho vaguely brushes the question away and Yoojin soon forgets as she starts unpacking her last present.

Later in the evening when Yoojin has been sent into the bathroom to get ready for bed, Minho corners Kibum in the kitchen and looks at him.

“A gift card for ear piercings?” he asks and Kibum blinks innocently. “She’s 8!” Kibum shrugs and tries to get away from Minho but the taller man grabs his wrist so he can’t escape.

“What? It’s just lobe piercings,” he says and Minho sighs and loosens his grip on Kibum so he can run both hands through his hair.

“She’s 8,” he repeats resignedly and Kibum sends him a smile.

“It’ll be fine.” He leaves Minho in the kitchen so he can find Yoojin and tell her goodnight. Afterwards he turns towards the hallway so he can greet his fiancé as he arrives home from an exhausting shift.

 

“Kibum!” someone shouts throughout the house. Kibum is barely awake and he doesn’t react to his name being called. Instead he turns around and pulls the covers over his head. He’s yawning when the blanket is removed and his name is called again. He blinks a little, only to find Minho next to him.

“What?” he says, voice hoarse with sleep. Minho just clicks his tongue in disapproval before he grabs Kibum’s wrist and tugs him up in a sitting position.

“You have guests and they are not happy.” Kibum runs a hand over his face and cracks his neck.

“Who is it?” he asks. He can’t imagine anyone coming to visit him today. Minho doesn’t say anything but leaves the bedroom with a disapproving head shake. It takes Kibum another 2 minutes before he gets out of bed. He’s wearing Minho’s white T-shirt and a pair of pajamas pants he has stolen from Jinki that are an inch or two too short. His hair is ruffled with sleep and he doesn’t even bother to fix his hair before he enters the living room. There’s a scent of freshly baked baguette coming from the kitchen and Yoojin is running to her room, hair brush in hand. Minho is talking to someone in the hallway and Kibum lazily walks out to see who has come to visit him. Kibum blinks a little when he sees the two people in the hallway.

“Mom?” he says and gains her attention. She sends him a smile and his father sends a small wave before he turns back to hand Minho his coat. Kibum then becomes painfully aware of his appearance and he takes a step back. “I’ll be back in a second!” Then he turns around and hurries back into the bedroom. What are his parents doing here? He knew he’d given them their new address but he still hasn’t told them about Minho and the multiple soulmates he has been granted. How can he introduce them with Minho when he hasn’t even introduced Jinki and Minho to Taeyeon? This is a mess. He quickly gets dressed in a simple shirt and a pair of jeans and he hurries into the bathroom to comb his hair and wash his face quickly.

When he reemerges, his parents are in the kitchen with Jinki and Minho. Jinki has been serving a light breakfast for Kibum’s parents and he’s now laughing at some story his father has told him. Minho is trying not to seem too nervous but Kibum can see it in his posture. Kibum sends his mother a smile before he settles down in a chair.

“I didn’t know you had moved in with someone, Kibum,” she says and he can feel the judgmental tone in her voice. It sends a shiver through his body and he has to swallow a little before he sends her a small smile and laces his fingers with Minho’s so he can calm the other man. Jinki is trying his hardest to keep Kibum’s father occupied and Kibum feels immensely grateful for his fiancé.

“Mom, this is Choi Minho,” he says and squeezes Minho’s hand under the table. He doesn’t get to say anything else before Yoojin hurries into the kitchen and latches onto Minho’s shoulder.

“Dad,” she whines and pouts a little at him. Minho turns around to look at her. “Do you know what day it is today?” she asks and Minho nods slightly.

“I’m coming in a moment, sweetheart,” he says and kisses her forehead and Yoojin nods defeated before she leaves them in the kitchen. Then he turns to look at Kibum and Kibum sends him a small smile. “I have to go,” Minho says and turns to Kibum’s mother. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Kim.” He gets off the chair, bows his head towards Kibum’s parents and then turns around so he can find Yoojin in the house. Kibum bites his lower lip as he turns towards his parents, his father now focused on Kibum as well.

“What happened to your old apartment?” his mother asks and Jinki sighs a little and gets up from the chair he was in so he can start cleaning up. Kibum just sighs deeply before he looks up to face his parents.

“It’s ... It’s a long story but Minho is my soulmate too so we figured it was easier if we all lived together instead of away from each other.” The silence is deafening in its wake until his mother gasps and points to Kibum’s neck. That’s when Kibum realizes that he’s wearing a t-shirt and Taeyeon’s curse words are visible on his neck. “No, it’s…” He doesn’t get to say anymore before Jinki places his arms on Kibum’s shoulders, leans close to his back and folds his hands in front of Kibum’s chest, effectively hiding the words on his neck.

“Did you like the breakfast, mother?” Jinki asks and Kibum turns to look at his fiancé. Jinki just sends him a smile before he turns back to Kibum’s mother. Kibum blinks stupidly.

“It was lovely dear, but …” she says and meets Kibum’s eyes. “Can I perhaps talk to my son alone?” Jinki presses a reassuring kiss to Kibum’s cheek and asks his father if he wants to see the rest of the house. Kibum can feel his father hesitate before he gets up. The door closes behind them and Kibum is left with his mother.

“Another soulmate?” she asks, confused and slightly hurt. It makes Kibum’s heart fall.

“Yeah, I … I’m sorry I hid it for you. Meeting Minho wasn’t exactly in my plans 10 years ago and it all just moved so quickly. I didn’t know how to tell you.” There’s silence between them for what feels like an eternity.

“Who's the small girl?” Kibum bites his lower lip at the question before he sighs a little and answers.

“It’s Minho’s daughter. Her mother died when she was 4 so he’s been alone with her ever since.” His mother nods a little and then shakes her head a little.

“I wish you had told us instead of hiding it. I’ve been talking about when you and Jinki are going to get married and then I come here and you suddenly have another soulmate and … how does all this even work, Kibum?” She looks even more confused as she finally starts to think the logistics of everything through. He’s not sure she’ll condone of their relationship at all and although she was understanding about him having a male soulmate at the age of 17, he just can’t be that hopeful about her understanding this three-male relationship, not including Taeyeon.

“We … are all in a relationship. I’m still engaged to Jinki but I’m also in a relationship with Minho and Minho and Jinki are dating as well.” Kibum can practically see her thinking as she tries to figure out how everything works together.

“Are they...?” she asks and Kibum shakes his head no. He doesn’t even have to hear her question to answer it. Then she points towards his neck and Kibum covers the words there embarrassed.

“It’s not Minho’s words,” he says. “Minho doesn’t really swear, it’s … another soulmate. Jinki and Minho haven’t met her yet.” He can see his mother give up with a sigh.

“How many soulmates do you have?” Kibum almost fears that she’ll disown him for being such an abnormality but despite her hurt and her confusion it doesn’t seem like she’s angry.

“3,” he says and slinks into his seat. He doesn’t get to say anything before the kitchen door opens and Minho pops his head in to send Kibum a small smile.

“Yoojin and I will be leaving for the afternoon. Don’t worry about us for dinner.” With a nod of his head towards Kibum’s mother he pulls away and closes the door after him. Kibum’s mother gets up from her seat. Kibum just looks at her confused as she stands before him. Without a word she pulls him to his feet and wraps her hands around him in a slightly awkward embrace. The small woman pats his back and Kibum curls closer to her as he wraps his arms around her too. He feels like a small child for a second before she draws away and pats his cheek.

“Tell us next time, sweetie,” she says and Kibum swallows the lump in his throat and nods. “Now show me the house.”

She’s not as impressed with Seondeok as Kibum’s father is.

 

Kibum is leaning against Jinki’s chest while the other man is sitting on the couch, reading. Kibum has been looking through a magazine but finished before Jinki and now he’s just enjoying the warmth and safety the other man is enveloping him in without being aware of it. Jinki barely looks up from his book when the door opens but Kibum peeks up and trains his eyes on the door to the hallway. Yoojin comes first, dressed in a black knee-long dress, her hair put into slightly uneven pigtails. She doesn’t look at Kibum and Jinki on the couch as she walks towards her room. Minho comes a little later, dressed in a black shirt and a black pair of jeans. Kibum raises an eyebrow and reaches a hand out towards the taller man when he comes into the living room. Jinki shifts behind him but Kibum ignores him. Minho sounds resigned when he sits on the couch beside Kibum’s feet and Kibum shifts a little so he can invite Minho closer.

“You look like you’ve had a tough day, babe,” Kibum says and Minho just sighs again but he leans against Kibum’s chest, long legs pulled towards himself so he can stay in the position.

“We go to visit Sooyoung’s grave with her parents every year on the day she died. It’s …” he hesitates for a couple of seconds “… tough on all of us. But I can’t let Yoojin forget her mother and her grandparents need us there. I don’t want to take Yoojin away from them either. It’s not their fault that Sooyoung and I weren’t meant to be and they love Yoojin.” Minho smiles back at him sadly and Kibum wraps his hands around Minho’s midsection to hold him close. Kibum turns around when he feels Jinki’s hands on his arms, trying to reach for Minho too. Jinki has put the book away but is only silently trying to comfort Minho. Kibum returns to the single father again and pulls Minho as close as he possibly can.

Yoojin enters the living room a minute later, no longer dressed in her black dress but in her pajamas instead. There are barely space on the couch but she climbs into Minho’s lap anyway as he spreads his legs to make space for her. Minho doesn’t say anything, just holds his daughter close. There’s silence in the living room but Kibum can feel the love spread in the room and that’s enough for him to be reassured. They’re going to be okay.

 

The next time he meets Taeyeon she’s dressed in a beige jumpsuit with a low cut. The black fur coat to keep her warm is slung over the chair next to hers. He isn’t really doubting that she’s Taeyeon but she tells him as soon as he sits down in the café anyway. The man from the first time isn’t there but Taeyeon doesn’t seem too uncomfortable with Kibum alone. It makes Kibum feel strangely happy to know that they’re getting closer despite how reserved she had been to begin with. She launches into an annoyed rant about her boss at the climbing hall and how he’d been demanding that she started teaching another team consisting of mainly adults and how much she hates teaching adults because they’re so stubborn and not at all like children. Where children are accepting, adults are judging and she isn’t exactly in the mood to deal with their shit. Kibum just listens while he sips on his latte.

When she finishes her rant with a huff and a sip of her hot chocolate Kibum sends her a smile and asks to her tattoos. He’d noticed the half-sleeve once but hadn’t given it much thought. Now that he sits in front of her and the tattoo is on full display, however, it catches his attention. Taeyeon turns to look at her tattoo too as if she can’t remember that it’s actually there and then she shrugs a little.

“It’s just representative of me,” she says and dismisses his curiosity. Kibum swallows his questions and tries not to force her to tell him things she doesn’t want to say. He can see her eyes landing on the ring on his finger but she doesn’t ask either and Kibum feels the stab of sadness at the thought that they really aren’t as close as he thought they were. Of course being soulmates doesn’t automatically grant knowledge about the other person but it still hurts a little to see her closed off and afraid to ask questions. Kibum doesn’t acknowledge that she’s been looking, however. He wants her to feel comfortable enough to ask.

The conversation turns to the weather and soon enough they’re discussing the biggest scandals in the entertainment industry. Taeyeon laughs when Kibum tells her a particularly stupid supposed scandal and they talk about how ridiculous fans can get when they’re protective of their favorite artists. Kibum finishes his latte at the same time Taeyeon finishes her hot chocolate and she gets up. She grabs her coat and takes a step away from her chair only to step into a puddle of water and almost slip in her wedges. Kibum steadies her with a hand and she smiles friendly at him. It has Kibum’s heart pounding but in a way he has never experienced before. He shrugs it off as she thanks him and gets on her feet. They split in front of the café. Kibum is about to send her a text to say thanks for the hour spent when his phone rings in his hand. He isn’t expecting Jinki to call him but his proposal is even more unexpected.

“Why?” he questions but Jinki doesn’t tell him anything, just asks him to meet up at _Acapella_ in 30 minutes.

It takes Kibum 40 minutes to get to _Acapella_ but Jinki is waiting for him outside, hands in his jacket pockets. Kibum presses a quick kiss to his lips and apologizes for being late when he comes close but Jinki just sends him a smile.

“Where are we going?” Kibum asks curiously as Jinki grabs his hand and intertwines their fingers. They’re walking down the street towards the park but Jinki doesn’t tell him anything. It has Kibum pouting. He doesn’t like being left in the dark and he doesn’t really like surprises like this but Jinki knows him too well but Kibum isn't that annoyed with him. Maybe slightly annoyed but not anything to tell Jinki. Jinki will know eventually. They hit the park and Jinki continues with a hum, still not answering Kibum’s questions that become more persistent as they walk deeper into the park. Suddenly Jinki pulls him from the path and onto the grass.

It takes a minute before Kibum recognizes the lake in front of them before he turns to Jinki. Jinki just smiles at him and presses a kiss to his lips.

“Why?” Kibum asks in a whisper and Jinki pulls him closer so he can wrap his arms around him. Kibum feels himself melt in Jinki’s embrace and presses closer even though it’s practically impossible. He can feel Jinki’s breath tickling his ear and it sends a shiver down his spine but he enjoys the warmth. When Jinki lets go slightly so he can look Kibum in the eyes Kibum feels his heart speed up.

“Nothing wrong with going on a date, is there?” Kibum shakes his head and leans closer so he can press their lips together in a sweet kiss. It’s sentimental and stupid but it’s been a long time since they’ve been at the lake.

“When was the last time we were here?” Kibum asks when he pulls away from Jinki’s lips. Jinki sends him a smirk.

“3 years ago,” Jinki answers. “When you proposed.” There’s a light feeling in Kibum’s chest when Jinki says the words and he remembers.

“So why are we here now?” There’s a comfortable silence around them, only broken by ducks in the lake quacking at times.

“I’m ready,” Jinki whispers against his lips before they kiss again and Kibum can’t help but feel strangely divided. This is the best news he’s been giving in a long time but at the same time he can’t figure out how it’s going to work. He forgets his thoughts as Jinki presses closer and gently asks for permission to lick into Kibum’s mouth. They stand in front of the lake on an early March day, reminiscing the love they have held for each other for 10 years and looking forward to the love they’ll share in the many years to come. When Jinki lets go Kibum follows his lips for a second before he regains control. Jinki chuckles and sits down on the ground and pulls Kibum with him.

Kibum sits in his lap, peppering kisses all over Jinki’s face and tracing features he hasn’t been able to give the attention they truly deserve for a long time. Sometimes he regrets the way his attention is now divided between more people but he can’t help his heart and he does his best to be with everybody his heart desires. Then he promises himself to forget thoughts of everybody else and focus solely on Jinki.

“What made you change your mind?” he asks gently after he has pressed a kiss to Jinki’s jawline. Jinki shrugs a little.

“I don’t know. I think I just realized how much I love you.” Kibum punches his shoulder lightly but pecks his lips anyway.

“Sap,” he tells the older man and Jinki sends him a blinding smile. They stay at the lake until the sun dips in the horizon and the evening gets colder and the dew starts falling. Kibum gets up first and then helps Jinki up with a hand. Their fingers are laced together and Jinki rests his head on Kibum’s shoulder as they walk back towards the path. When they see other park-goes Jinki removes his head and Kibum wants him to put it back. He doesn’t do anything, however, because he knows the position is a little awkward when walking. Jinki’s ring is cold against the skin of Kibum’s hand but he feels incredibly happiness at the knowledge. When they enter the main street and find a subway back home Kibum can’t help but squeeze Jinki’s hand in reassurance.

They find Minho and Yoojin in the living room, anime playing on the TV. Yoojin is barely keeping her eyes open but she tries hard to focus on the anime so she doesn’t miss anything important. Minho is absentmindedly rubbing her back and gently coaxing her to sleep. Minho sends them a smile and a raised eyebrow at the obvious happiness they’re both projecting and Kibum just shakes his head. He’ll tell Minho tomorrow. They’ll tell Minho tomorrow.

 

Minho raises an eyebrow in a skeptic fashion when Kibum greets him with a ‘we’re getting married’ the next morning. Kibum feels the need to clarify that ‘we’ are him and Jinki and Minho rolls his eyes and takes a gulp of his coffee. Kibum gets a cup of coffee for himself.

“You’re okay with it, right?” he asks and Minho shrugs. The gesture has Kibum slightly nervous. “Right?”

“Can I be against it? You guys were engaged when we met,” Minho says and Kibum sits down on the chair beside him and grabs his hand so he can lace their fingers together.

“Nothing will change between us, I promise. You’ll be my boyfriend and Jinki will be my husband and it’ll be like it is now. It’ll just be a change in titles, really.” It doesn’t really hit Kibum when he says it but he means it. It’s not going to change anything. The knowledge that Jinki is ready to marry him now after 3 years of hesitating is just too big to keep inside. Minho sighs a little.

“Doesn’t sound very convincing,” he says and Kibum pouts at him.

“You and Jinki will still be boyfriends, too. I promise.” His promise comes out more serious than he was expecting it to. Jinki walks into the kitchen with bed hair and yawns. He kisses both of them square on the lips before he scrunches up his nose and goes to find his inhalator. Kibum looks after him when he inhales and then turns back to Minho. Minho seems more focused on Jinki with a concerned brow raised and Kibum lets him be. Jinki leaves the kitchen with another yawn. Kibum puts a hand on Minho’s knee and takes a sip of his coffee.

“I promise, nothing will change but if you’re feeling uncomfortable with it, tell us, okay?” Then he looks at the clock on the wall and empties his coffee mug. “I have to leave now or I’ll be late.” Kibum gets up from his chair and hurries into the hallway to find his trench coat before he leaves the home.

The first patient has already arrived when Kibum enters the clinic despite them not opening for another 5 minutes. Eunseo is trying to grasp the problem at hand while Kibum hurries back so he can change into his coat. The cat has eaten some ribbon and now seems to be choking. It doesn’t take Kibum long before he accepts the animal from the panicked owner and hurries into his room. Changkyun enters 30 seconds later to assist while Kibum sedates the cat so he can gently pull the ribbon out of the cat’s throat. It takes longer than he expected it to and they’re behind schedule when he hands the sedated cat to Changkyun for aftercare.

He barely has a lunch break and at the end of the day he’s exhausted. He stretches when he steps onto the street and cracks his neck before he starts his journey home. Minho is working late and Jinki is helping Yoojin with her homework when he comes home. Jinki hasn’t started on dinner so Kibum takes it upon himself to cook some doenjangjjigae.

“I’m going to feed Dangun,” Yoojin says 30 minutes later and goes to find the frozen mice in the freezer. Kibum watches her fondly before he turns around to look at Jinki quickly. The other looks more tired than Kibum has seen him in a long time and he tilts his head.

“You okay?” he asks and Jinki waves a hand to dismiss the concern.

“Just tired. A little headache,” he says and sends Kibum a smile. “Probably sinusitis.” Kibum can hear the snort in his voice but it’s not convincing.

“Asthma attack?” he asks but Jinki shrugs and shakes his head.

“I took the inhalator this morning. It should’ve taken it. I just slept bad, no big deal.” He gets up from the chair and presses a kiss to Kibum’s cheek. “I’ll take a nap. Wake me up for dinner.” Kibum returns to cooking dinner.

Minho arrives home an hour later just as Kibum finishes the dinner and Yoojin hurries out to greet him. Kibum peeks into the hallway with a smile on his face as he eyes father and daughter in an embrace.

“We’re eating. Yoojin, do you want to wake up Jinki?” Yoojin turns around to face him and nods before she lets go of Minho and runs into the bedroom. Minho rakes a hand through his hair and sends Kibum a tired smile. Kibum just gently pecks his lips in a greeting before he returns to the kitchen. He only gets to stir in the doenjangjjigae once before Yoojin almost crashes into his legs.

“Kibum, Kibum!” she says and frantically points out of the kitchen door. “Jinki … he’s…” Kibum turns the stove off and leaves the spoon in the dinner as he runs as fast as he can into the bedroom. Jinki is wheezing and coughing, his breathing rapid and his face pale and sweaty. Minho joins them less than a minute later.

“Call 119,” Kibum says into the room as he watches Jinki fight for air. He hears footsteps leave in a hurry and turns around to find Yoojin, squeezing her t-shirt tight. “Yoojin, sweetheart, run into the kitchen. In the first drawer to the left next to the stove you’ll find an inhalator. Please bring it to me quickly.” She nods before she bolts out of the room. Jinki coughs again on the bed. “You’re a fool,” he says to the other man and Jinki tries to smile before he wheezes through another breath. Knowing that Jinki is awake is a good sign but if he doesn’t get help soon he might lose consciousness and Kibum really doesn’t want to go there.

Yoojin returns 15 seconds later and Kibum holds the inhalator and presses the button so Jinki can focus on inhaling. The quick-working inhalator doesn’t work however and Jinki’s lips turn blue just as Minho enters the bedroom again.

“Kibum,” Minho says and Kibum turns his head towards him.

“What?” he snaps at him and then shakes his head. He doesn’t mean to be mean.

“Does Jinki have a history of …” he leaves the sentence incomplete and Kibum clenches his fist together as he nods.

“Yes. It’s asthma, he’s had attacks before but never this bad and the quick-working inhalator usually works when he takes it when he feels symptoms coming on. Please just ask them to send an ambulance, please.” He can feel the tears well up in his eyes despite Jinki’s weak hand finding his and squeezing it reassuringly. Kibum wants to tell Jinki that there’s nothing reassuring about watching him struggle with breathing but it would serve no purpose whatsoever.

The ambulance arrives 5 minutes later, Jinki barely conscious as he works through coughing fit after coughing fit. Kibum forces the tears to stay in his eyes as the paramedics drive away with Jinki, the sirens blasting through the night air. Minho squeezes him closer and Kibum takes a shaky breath. Yoojin is crying, the experience scary and she’s hugging Minho, burying into his abdomen. Kibum pulls a little away so Minho can sink to Yoojin’s eye level and give her a real hug. When she stops crying, he looks up at Kibum.

“Let’s go,” he says, grabs Yoojin and Kibum’s hands and gently tugs them with him out the front door. He asks Yoojin to climb into the back seat as he shuts and locks the front door and then he pulls Kibum with him and places him in the passenger seat.

They arrive at the E.R. 20 minutes later. Kibum is clutching onto Minho’s hand like he’s the only lifeline he has and Yoojin is shyly hiding behind her father, hands clutched into his jacket. Minho follows his boyfriend and daughter inside and asks to Lee Jinki. Hearing that Jinki has been admitted to the ICU for observation after nearly falling into respiratory failure has Kibum crying once again. Jinki’s asthma has never been severe, the only attacks he’s ever experienced had been over with the quick-working inhalator and Jinki’s doctor hadn’t been adamant about him using a daily inhalator as he usually didn’t have problems. Knowing how severe it can actually get and how close Kibum could’ve been to losing him almost has his legs failing him. Minho finds a bench in the E.R. where they can sit and calm down. Yoojin climbs into his lap and looks younger than her age as she buries her head into his shoulder. Kibum leans his head on Minho’s other shoulder and whispers an apology.

Kibum doesn’t know how long they sit in the hospital when a nurse finds them and tells them that Jinki’s breathing has stabilized. They’ll keep him because of a collapsed lung but he’ll most likely be back home within the next 3 days. He suggests they come back in the morning when Jinki has been transferred to the respiratory ward instead of the ICU and Kibum nods a little.

They drive home in silence but Kibum doesn’t sleep at all that night. 

He’s beyond tired when he enters the hospital the next morning. Minho has dropped him off but had to leave for work. Kibum has called Joohyun to tell her that he isn’t coming in today. Jinki is lying on his bed, reading through a book. There’s a tube attached to his right side and an oxygen mask covering his nose and mouth. He lights up in a smile when he sees Kibum and removes the mask so he can greet him.

“Hey,” he whispers and Kibum sits in a chair and sends him a smile.

“Hey,” he repeats and Jinki reaches out to grab his hand. They’re silent for a couple of minutes where Kibum just soaks in the other man’s presence. “Are you okay?” Jinki nods a little but then grimaces slightly.

“Sore where they put in the tube but otherwise okay,” he says and squeezes Kibum’s hand comfortingly. “Are you okay? You look exhausted. What about Minho and Yoojin? I hope I didn’t scare them too much.” Kibum just shakes his head fondly.

“I’m fine. Yoojin was a little overwhelmed yesterday but she seemed better this morning. Minho was a great help.” Kibum isn’t really sure what he would have done without him. Jinki nods a little and settles better in his bed, only to groan at the soreness.

“I hope this lung soon repairs itself,” he says and Kibum chuckles a little.

“I hope so too,” he says earnestly.

Kibum goes to buy lunch when the nurse arrives with Jinki’s and tells him to wear the oxygen mask and rest. He spends two hours eating and relaxing in the hospital, hoping that Jinki will actually get rest if he’s not there. Minho and Yoojin find him in the afternoon. He’s reading a magazine in Jinki’s room as the other man has fallen asleep. Yoojin seems a little frightened to find Jinki sleeping with a tube in the side and a mask over his face but Kibum assures her that he’s been talking to Jinki and that the other man is okay and will be home soon. Minho presses a kiss to Kibum’s temple and tells him to sleep instead of reading and that they’re leaving the hospital together all three of them. Kibum falls asleep in the car on the way home.

 

Jinki is, true to the nurse’s word, discharged 3 days after the asthma attack. He’s not allowed to do heavy exercise and is told to consult his own doctor in case there need to be changes done in the treatment of his asthma but he’s fine despite all that and Kibum is just happy to have him home. It’s a Saturday afternoon when he finds Minho in front of the laptop. Kibum sneaks a look onto the screen but widens his eyes surprised as he looks at Minho’s search. It takes Minho 5 seconds to realize there’s someone looking over his shoulder and he closes the tab the second he learns that it’s Kibum. Kibum whines a little at the loss of the website but the page is lost.

“Why were you looking at tailored suits?” Kibum asks a little while later and Minho places the laptop on the coffee table in front of him.

“I have a wedding to attend.” He smiles and turns to Kibum. Kibum raises an eyebrow in confusion.

“Who is getting married?” he asks and Minho laughs a little.

“You,” is all he says.

“Me?” Kibum asks. Minho nods.

“Yeah, didn’t you say you and Jinki were getting married? I’m pretty sure I heard you say that.” Minho shrugs a little but the words leave an imprint in Kibum’s mind.

“I didn’t think you were okay with it?” Kibum is confused and Minho’s secret smile doesn’t make him any less confused.

“I realized that a change in title shouldn’t make any difference to how you guys feel about me and how I feel about you,” he says before he gets off the couch and calls for Yoojin so they can feed Seondeok and Kibum is left confused behind. Kibum twists on the couch and looks towards the terrarium where father and daughter are laughing as they feed the emerald tree boa. He still has an eyebrow raised in confusion but his gaze turns fond as he looks at them. What has made Minho change his mind is beyond Kibum and maybe they should be talking more about what’s going to happen between them if he and Jinki are to get married. It’ll be new but it’s not supposed to ruin their relationship. Kibum wouldn’t be able to bear losing either of the two men, not again, and if getting married to Jinki means losing Minho then he’d prefer to just be engaged. Then a purple-haired woman walks into his mind and sends a shiver down his spine. He needs to introduce them. She wasn’t fond of learning that he’d been keeping the knowledge that she wasn’t his one and only soulmate from her so keeping her from getting to know Jinki and Minho seems like walking behind her back. Keeping her from his and Jinki’s engagement feels like stabbing her in the back.

He sighs a little and turns back so he can lean into the couch. He finds his phone and fumbles around with it for a minute or two before he sends Taeyeon a text and asks if she would like to meet his other two soulmates. There’s no reply, however, and Kibum puts his phone down when Minho plops down beside him again. Jinki comes a minute later, still sore from where they’d put the tube into his side but otherwise functioning like a normal human being. Kibum is still keeping an eye out for him, making sure he rests as much as possible but Jinki is slowly losing his patience with all the resting.

“Would you guys like to meet … uh … Taeyeon?” Kibum asks when Jinki sits down and leans back into the couch with a pained groan. Minho looks at him with curious eyes.

“Curse words?” he asks and points towards Kibum’s neck. Kibum shoots him a glare.

“It’s Taeyeon or Taemin, behave, will you?” he says.

“Or?” Jinki asks and Kibum looks towards him. The older man is looking at him with a questioning gaze and Kibum nods a little.

“They’re genderfluid. I … she said the pronouns was she when Taeyeon and he when Taemin but I’ve only really met Taeyeon, so I don’t know…” Technically Kibum should know. Whenever she’s Taeyeon it’s ‘she’ and whenever he’s told it’s Taemin then it’s 'he'. Introducing Taeyeon just turned out harder than he had thought it would initially be. Jinki just nods in understanding and Minho turns to look at Kibum’s phone with the screen flashes.

“Sure, let’s meet your third soulmate,” he says as Kibum leans forwards so he can read the text with a smile.

“Can I invite her here?” he asks and both men on his sides agree. Minho then gets up from his place so he can find Yoojin and ask her if she wants to cook dinner. Kibum never sees them enter the kitchen, however, so when he an hour later goes to find them he’s a little surprised to find Minho seated on her floor with a flower in his hair. Minho sends him a sheepish smile before he grabs Yoojin so he can tickle her and Kibum closes the door with a smile.

 

The hug is awkward and stiff but it’s a hug nonetheless. Taemin is dressed in a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt, breasts pressed as flat as possible and hair put in a flat bun hidden by a beanie. Kibum isn’t really doubting the gender but Taemin informs him of the gender of the day anyway. It’s slowly dawning on him how Taemin expresses his gender through his clothes and how the other man is getting easier and easier to read. There’s a nervous twitch at the corner of his lips and Kibum sends him a reassuring smile. It’s Yoojin they meet first. She stops in the hallway and grabs her coat, one arm through the sleeve when she gets eye contact with Taemin and sends him a smile.

“Hey Mr. Tae,” she says before she pulls the coat up so she can put the other arm through the other sleeve and close it. Neither of them gets to say anything before she’s out the door, the yell of ‘wait for me’ following her as Kibum closes the door behind her. Taemin takes a deep breath and Kibum tries his best to exude calmness. He’s not sure he succeeds because after all, he is pretty nervous too. Minho is in the kitchen, working on some papers for the bank and he looks up when he hears Kibum’s nervous chatter.

“Hello,” he says and reaches a hand for Taemin to shake. He doesn’t get off of his chair, though. “Choi Minho. I’m sorry about all the clutter.” Taemin shakes his head and sends him a genuine smile.

“Lee Taemin,” he says and Kibum starts feeling at ease. Minho starts talking about how much Yoojin seems to enjoy the climbing lessons and it’s obvious how easily he makes Taemin comfortable. It doesn’t take long before an off-handed gesture has Taemin sitting down, talking animatedly about how much he loves his job. They’re shallow conversation topics but it makes the atmosphere comfortable so Kibum doesn’t mind. Jinki enters the kitchen what seems to be an hour later with an oh. Taemin turns to look at the newcomer with another shy smile and Jinki sends him one of those dazzling ones that has Kibum’s heart flutter nervously.

“Lee Jinki,” he says before he apologizes for not shaking Taemin’s hand because of the still sore spot on his side. Taemin’s face clouds a little in concern until Jinki shakes his head and tells him not to worry.

They move to the living room about an hour later and Taemin stiffens in the doorway, eyeing the big snake in the corner.

“What’s that?” he asks and all three men turn to follow his line of sight.

“Seondeok,” Jinki answers off-handedly as if it’s nothing big but Taemin’s reaction sure makes it seem like a bigger deal.

“It’s a snake,” he almost spits and Kibum presses his lips together so he can suppress his laughter.

“An emerald tree boa,” Minho says and sits down on the couch. Kibum just grabs Taemin's shoulder and turns him away from the terrarium so he doesn’t have to look at it.

“She’s not really leaving the enclosure ever, so don’t worry,” Jinki says and Taemin glares at him. The glare goes unnoticed. Kibum smiles a little.

They talk about Yoojin and their jobs and Taemin tells them about Jongin, his best friend, which reminds Kibum to call Nicole because she was supposed to give birth last week, and the conversation is pleasant. Taemin’s stance is relaxed although any mention of reptiles has him sitting a little straighter and Kibum can detect the slight teasing in both Minho and Jinki’s words at times. It has him smiling but also feeling strangely protective over the youngest one of them.

“How does this work?” Taemin asks a couple of hours later when they’re drinking coffee in the living room. Minho takes a sip of his coffee and Jinki looks towards the black TV and Kibum sighs. He supposes he should’ve seen it coming, he is Taemin’s soulmate after all. It would’ve been unfair to expect Jinki and Minho to tell Taemin anything that really should come from Kibum.

“I’m engaged to Jinki. I think we’re going to get married in the next couple of months.” Taemin’s eyes land on the ring on his finger until Kibum starts talking again. “Minho and I are boyfriends while Jinki and Minho are boyfriends too.” Taemin blinks.

“So you’re married to Jinki but just dating Minho?” Kibum nods.

“Yeah.” Taemin shrugs.

“Okay,” he says. Kibum blinks. That’s it? It took so long for him to even accept that he had two soulmates let alone for the others to accept that he wanted them both and Taemin has accepted it with a sentence. In less than a minute and he’s fine with it. He’s staring when Taemin waves a hand in front of Kibum’s face. “You okay?” he asks and Kibum blinks again before he nods. 

“Sure.” He can’t really push the easy acceptance out of his mind, however. It seems too easy. It seems unreal. Taemin doesn’t make any move to show that he finds himself uncomfortable in their strange polyamorous relationship, though and Kibum can only watch as Taemin launches into another superficial conversation about soccer and traveling with Minho and Jinki.

An hour later Taemin gets up from the couch and bows his head slightly as he thanks them for today. Kibum gets up with him and follows him to the hallway.

“Thanks for inviting me,” Taemin says and sends Kibum a genuine smile. Kibum feels something curl inside his stomach but again, it’s unlike anything he’s ever felt before. Kibum reciprocates the smile and leans in only to take a step back when Taemin looks towards the door in an effort to dodge the hug.

“It’s … Thanks for coming. I hope they weren’t too overwhelming.” There’s a tense silence in the hallway until Taemin shakes his head slightly.

“No, it’s been nice. I’ll see you around?” Kibum nods and they smile at each other for a couple of seconds before Taemin decides it’s time to leave. Kibum watches him turn around the corner and disappear down the street towards the subway station. He shuts the door and turns to the living room, only to find Minho gently fussing over Jinki as the other man lies on the couch. Kibum silently slithers into the kitchen so he doesn’t disturb his boyfriends.

 

It’s a fairly warm morning in March and Kibum is watching down the street on his way to the clinic. He’s clapping his hands silently in front of him to the beat of _If you’re happy and you know it_ as he walks from the subway station. The sun is fighting to get past the few lingering clouds and Kibum smiles. He enters the clinic right after Changkyun who sends him a strained smile. It’s obvious that something is wrong but he doesn’t get to ask before Changkyun has already shaken his head and told him he doesn’t want to talk about it. Kibum pats his shoulder but doesn’t say anything. Joohyun arrives 5 minutes later when Kibum has already changed into his white coat. He’s looking through their order papers to make sure Eunseo has remembered everything they need, especially new vaccines when the receptionist enters. She’s smiling wide, a light blush on her cheeks and she ducks Kibum’s hand when he reaches out to ruffle her hair. Joohyun snatches the papers from him and laughs at him. The nursery rhyme is still stuck in his head so he starts humming.

The day flies by, no unpleasant encounters and plenty of young kids coming in with their first pet for the first vaccine. A loud bark sounds throughout the clinic and Kibum looks into the reception. There’s an elderly lady with a large St. Bernard dog and Kibum lights up in a smile.

“Hey buddy,” he says and the dog turns towards him, tail wagging in happiness. Kibum chuckles as he kneels in front of the dog and pets the large head. He looks up at the elderly woman and sends her a smile. “How did you manage to find your way in here, grandma?” he asks and the elderly lady chuckles a little and reaches a hand out. Kibum gets up so he can hug her quickly. “2 seconds,” he says and turns to Eunseo at the reception to ask how busy he is. There’s only one patient before his lunch break so his grandmother waits for him.

They walk out 20 minutes later. The sun has finally won the battle and is shining brightly from a blue sky. Kibum guides his grandmother to the park and the dog lies at her feet to take a small nap. Kibum is still overwhelmed with her presence.

“Your mother called me,” she says and Kibum sighs a little. “Why haven’t you told me about your soulmate, you rascal?” The following laughter has Kibum look up in slight surprise but when he sees the smile he chuckles too.

“I’m sorry, grandma. I’ve been so busy,” he admits and she puts her hand on his knee.

“Don’t overwork yourself.” Kibum smiles fondly and nods. They talk for the entire 30 minutes of his lunch break but when he’s about to invite her back home she tells him that her friend has been driving to Seoul for an errand and that said friend has to drive back to Daegu soon so she better find the train station where they’re to meet up. Kibum promises to follow her back, even if that means he’ll be a little late. His grandmother denies but Kibum doesn’t back down on this. A quick call to the clinic to let Eunseo know that he’ll be 5 minutes late and they’re on their way to the train station. Her friend is already there and Kibum helps the dog into the back seat and gives his grandmother a kiss on the cheek and promises to call her soon.

When he turns around to hurry back to the clinic his eyes catch a blond-haired man on his way to the train station and Kibum freezes. The man doesn’t acknowledge Kibum as he steps into the train and Kibum is able to tear his gaze away. Then he realizes his phone is ringing and one look at the screen has him hurrying out of the station and towards the clinic, stranger forgotten.

 

He can see Yoojin sneak closer in his periphery but he keeps his gaze on the book in his hands. He’s not reading anymore but he might as well keep up the illusion for her sake.

“Kibum?” she asks innocently and Kibum hums in acknowledgment. “I was thinking…” she continues and Kibum puts the book away after marking the page so he can turn around and look at her.

“Yes?” he prompts and she pulls a string of hair behind her ear. The lobe piercings are shining brightly in the sun that streams in from the window.

“Do you wanna go to the zoo with me?” Yoojin sends him a dazzling smile and sparkling eyes that resemble Minho’s and Kibum can’t do anything but reciprocate the smile.

“Sure,” he says and she shrieks triumphantly.

“Thank you!” With those words, she hurries into the hallway so she can find her jacket. Kibum gets up from the couch and finds his wallet in the kitchen. He catches Yoojin in the hallway.

“Shoes off,” he says before she bolts towards her bedroom in her muddy sneakers. Her spirits are too high to be dampened, however, so she quickly leaves her shoes in the hallway. She returns a minute later and takes her shoes on again. Kibum grabs her hand and calls in to Jinki in the study to tell him that they’re leaving. He’s not sure the older man heard him but Yoojin is too excited to wait anymore so Kibum supposes he can always text Minho to tell as well.

They’re walking hand in hand towards the subway station. It’s going to take some time to get to the zoo but Yoojin is full of energy and it translates to Kibum quickly. They’re laughing on the subway, Yoojin on the seat while Kibum stands in front of her. She’s telling him about the play they’re about to do in school and how she’s going to audition to be the female lead and Kibum encourages her. Yoojin isn’t what he would have classified as a girly girl but seeing her talk so animatedly about being the female lead makes him want to support whatever she wants to do – whether or not it’s stereotypically feminine.

They get off the train with a jump much to their fellow passengers annoyance before they boards the next. Yoojin starts talking about all the animals they’re going to see in the zoo when she notices another person on the train.

“Tae,” she says out loud and the purple-haired woman turns around to look at them. She’s dressed in a pair of skinny jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt and Kibum has a hard time determining her gender on her clothes.

“Hey you two,” the woman says and Kibum squints a little at her.

“Where are you going, Tae?” he says and only belatedly realizes that he has called her Tae and not Taeyeon or Taemin. She sends him a smile.

“Min.” It takes a couple of seconds before Kibum realizes what he means and he nods slightly. Yoojin is kicking her feet against the seat. “I’m going to see my brother.” Kibum widens his eyes.

“You have a brother?” Taemin nods.

“Yeah.” He doesn’t sound super excited to see the other man so Kibum decides not to ask more questions. “Where are you going?”

“We’re going to the zoo! Right Kibum?” Yoojin answers. Kibum nods. Taemin lights up in a childish smile.

“I wish I could go with you. You two have fun, okay?” Yoojin nods with a big smile and Taemin looks up when his station is announced. “I have to get off here. I’ll see you?” Kibum doesn’t get to answer before Taemin has left the train. The elderly woman besides Yoojin gets off as well and Yoojin pats his thigh to get him to sit down. She leans on his shoulder as the train continues the travel towards the zoo.

They get off the train 40 minutes later and Yoojin grabs his hand so she can pull him towards the entrance. Despite the good weather, there aren’t a lot of people in the zoo and it surprised Kibum a little. Yoojin is walking excitedly around, watching all the smaller animals before they on to see the penguins and the sea lions.

“Can I swim with them?” she asks excitedly as she leans closer to the glass to see the sea lions swim through the water. Kibum kneels beside her.

“No,” he says and she pouts. Then he points towards one that’s coming towards them. Yoojin places her and on the glass and the marine mammal swims past them. She turns to look at Kibum excitedly and Kibum mirrors her excitement. “Come, let us go see the seals.” Yoojin jumps up and Kibum almost falls on his butt. He only gets to steady himself in the last moment but Yoojin has already run past him. He laughs as he gets on his feet and follows her with quick steps so he can catch up with her. Yoojin is staring at the spotted seals in just as much fascination as she had looked at the sea lions. A seal swims past them and she squeals.

“Seals are the best!” she exclaims and Kibum chuckles and agrees with her. It’s almost impossible to get her to leave the seals but after 30 minutes he succeeds and they go to see the elephants. Yoojin is less impressed with the massive mammals and goes to find the fennec foxes instead. Kibum is looking at Yoojin enjoying the animals more than he is looking at the animals. They’re looking to find the sloth in the manatee house but neither of them succeeds. Yoojin turns her attention towards the big animals and Kibum stubbornly keeps looking for the sloth. They leave the manatee house to find a cup of hot chocolate and some cake. Yoojin chooses a strawberry muffin and Kibum just drinks his hot chocolate. They’re on their way to the panda enclosure when Yoojin drags him towards the reptile house instead. She looks through them all with a striking fascination until she ends in front of the green anaconda.

“Pretty, isn’t it?” Kibum asks and Yoojin nods.

“It’s so much bigger than Seondeok!” Kibum laughs at her exclamation but agrees with her. “Could dad have one?” she asks a little while later and Kibum shakes his head.

“No, it’s too big. Seondeok is a big snake to have in a household.” Yoojin turns to look at him with a determined look on her face.

“I’ll have one when I get big.” Kibum nuzzles her hair and smiles at her.

“You’ll have to work in a zoo, sweetheart,” he tells her and Yoojin puts her hands on her hips as she turns back to look at the snake.

“Then I’ll work at a zoo.” She sounds determined so Kibum decides not to say anymore. They reluctantly leave the reptile house but instead of going to the pandas they go to see the large cats. They’re beautiful and dangerous and Yoojin is just as fascinated with them as she has been with the rest of animals. It’s getting late in the evening when Kibum tells her they should get on their home. They still have quite the travel back with the subway so and Yoojin can’t be home too late either. Yoojin pouts but agrees reluctantly. Before they can go home, however, Kibum promises to go back to the reptile house so they can say goodbye to the green anaconda. He buys her a snake plush at the souvenir shop and in the train she dozes off against his shoulder. Kibum pulls her a little closer and strokes her soft hair.

He hasn’t spent a day like this with Yoojin but he’s happy she chose him to go with. He has an inkling it’s because he was willing to go but it doesn’t matter whether or not he was the first or the last to be asked. The memories with Yoojin is precious. He gently lifts her and carries her into the next train as they transfer and sits her down. This train has more people and there’s only one seat available so Kibum stands in front of her and makes sure that she doesn’t bump her head against anything. He turns around when he hears someone hum next to him and gets eye contact with a blond-haired man. The man sends him a smile and leaves the train and Kibum gets _Row row row your boat_ stuck in his head. It takes a minute to recognize that the man had been humming the same song but it’s by far too late to do anything about it now.

He shakes Yoojin gently awake as they near their station and she clutches the plush to her chest with one hand while she takes Kibum’s other hand and holds it tight. They enter the house 15 minutes later and Kibum helps Yoojin out of her clothes. She’s stumbling into the living room and continues her way towards her bedroom. Kibum greets his cuddling boyfriends with a kiss to each cheek before he tells Minho that he’ll put Yoojin to sleep. Minho slumps back against the couch and pulls Jinki closer to him and Kibum sends them a fond smile. Yoojin has already climbed under her blankets when Kibum enters.

“Thanks,” she whispers and Kibum presses a kiss to her forehead.

“You’re welcome. Sleep tight.” She smiles and closes her eyes. Kibum pats her hair gently before he leaves her bedroom. Jinki is almost sleeping against Minho’s chest and Kibum just press a kiss to Minho’s lips so as not to disturb his fiancé.

“I love you,” he says and Minho sends him a gaze that says exactly the same. Kibum feels his heart flutter and he smiles as he leaves the two of them to the couch so he can climb into bed.  
  



	6. SIX

Kibum rushes inside the hospital and looks around for the information desk. There’s a map over the hospital plastered on the wall next to the information desk and Kibum stops to let his eyes roam over it until he finds the maternity ward. He’s on the run when he finally figures out which way to go, the plastic bag in his hand swinging dangerously back and forth. 

When he finally finds it he’s so out of breath that he has to stop to take a couple of deep breaths before he enters. Nicole and her husband look towards him before they both break out into laughter. The small boy, who is sleeping in her arms, stirs at the sound. 

“Out of breath?” she asks with a cheeky smirk and Kibum huffs as he gets closer so he can lean gently over the baby to give her a hug. 

“I should say congratulations from Jinki,” he says and they both nod. Kibum takes another deep breath, just to make sure he completely caught his breath before he turns his attention the little one. “Can I?” he asks silently and Nicole’s husband nods. Kibum lets a finger gently run over the boy’s soft cheek and he sends them a smile as he looks up again and sits down in the chair next to her bed. “He’s beautiful!” Kibum is a little awestruck. He hasn’t seen a baby since he got his nephew and that was 5 years ago. Nicole just chuckles and shakes her head at his expression. 

“I didn’t know I had to protect my son from my best friend. Do I have to look for words already?” she asks and although there’s a teasing tone to her voice, Kibum looks up scandalized. 

“Oh God, no. Don’t even joke with that!” he says and Nicole’s husband breaks out into loud laughter again. The newborn boy wakes up at his father’s laughter and starts crying and Nicole smacks her husband’s shoulder before she calms her son down. 

“Do you have a name for him already?” Kibum asks but this time he directs his question to the man that sits in the chair beside him so he can give Nicole time to comfort her son. 

“We’re thinking about Hyunwoo,” he says and Nicole then looks up with a glare. 

“No, we’re not. I told you 2 hours ago that my son is not going to be named after your great-grandfather.” Her husband looks at her with a sigh. 

“Why not? Hyunwoo is not a horrible name.” Nicole just shakes her head in disapproval and her husband sighs. “Okay, we don’t have a name.” Kibum stifles a chuckle and nods a little. It’s so very typical of them to disagree on something as the name for their baby. 

He spends the next hour in their company while he catches up on their lives and the things he has been missing in the last month of her pregnancy. Meanwhile he tells them everything he’s been doing and he tells Nicole more about Taeyeon. The small green and white striped romper has he brought as a gift brings smiles to their lips and Kibum is thankful for Minho who had helped pick it out. As he steps out of the room a man with blond hair walks into the room next to Nicole’s and Kibum feels a slight pull he ignores. 

 

Minho sighs on the phone the minute Kibum enters the front door and he turns his gaze towards him while he takes off his coat. Minho just shakes his head and walks towards their bedroom. Kibum places himself on the couch next to Jinki and Yoojin who are looking at Jinki’s laptop. Yoojin is pointing excitedly at the screen. 

“This one,” she says. Jinki raises an eyebrow in question. Kibum leans over so he can peek at the screen as well and chokes on his own spit when he sees what she’s pointing at. On the screen is a pale pink suit with a bowtie on a male model. Jinki turns to him and Yoojin frowns a little. 

“Hopefully not for our wedding,” he says and Jinki pushes his shoulder a little away.

“Go away, you’re not supposed to look at what your groom is going to wear. Yoojin will help me, we don’t need you.” There’s a smile on his face, however, so Kibum sends him a smile of his own. 

“Please help him find something beautiful,” he tells Yoojin before Jinki shushes him away with another push on his shoulder and a wave of his hand. They haven’t really started planning their wedding and Kibum doesn’t want to think about the suit looking in details. 

He finds Minho in the bedroom. The other man is sitting on the edge of the bed, phone next to him and face buried in his hands. Minho runs his hands through his hair and looks up as he hears the door open and Kibum sends him a smile. 

“Are you okay?” he asks and Minho shrugs a little before he sighs and shakes his head. Kibum sits down beside him and gently starts rubbing his back. Minho runs his hands over his face and sighs heavily. 

“Yoojin’s grandfather has gotten ill which means she can’t spend the weekend with them as planned. Now I have to disappoint her. She had been looking forward to seeing them ever since we went to Sooyoung’s grave. The atmosphere is always so tense when we’re there, I prefer it when she has time to just be with them without the memory of her mother weighing on all of them. But how am I going to tell her she’ll have to be stuck here with us?” He falls back into the bed and Kibum sends him a small smile before he lays down next to Minho and pulls him closer. 

“She’ll understand,” Kibum whispers and presses a kiss to Minho’s cheek. “I know she will. It’s just an unfortunate event.” He places his hand on Minho’s chest and starts rubbing gentle circles. 

“I hate when I have to disappoint her, I feel so inadequate,” Minho says in a low voice and Kibum hums a little. 

“You’re not. You’re the best father in the world.” He punctuates his words with a kiss to Minho’s jawline. Minho tilts his head so he can get eye contact with Kibum and Kibum smiles a little. “You are!” he confirms his words before he pecks Minho’s lips. Minho’s eyes slide closed and Kibum kisses him again softly. When they pull away, Minho smiles a little at him. 

“You’re right,” he says and Kibum beams. 

“Of course I am.” He’s still rubbing gentle, soothing circles into Minho’s chest but as Minho leans forwards to catch Kibum’s lips again in a less soft and more passionate kiss, the movements stop and Kibum lets his hand trail up until it tangles in Minho’s hair. “You’re the best,” he whispers into Minho’s lips before they kiss again. They’re interrupted when someone knocks on the door. Jinki chuckles as he sees them. 

“Food is ready,” he says before he winks and then leaves. Kibum doesn’t mean to blush but he can’t help it. Minho gets up and then reaches a hand out towards Kibum so he can help him up. Yoojin has already started with her dinner and Jinki is taking kimchi. Yoojin is talking animatedly about pretty dresses and Kibum squeezes Minho’s hand comfortingly under the table. 

Later in the evening he’s sitting on the couch and observing the green emerald boa in her enclosure. Kibum can’t stop thinking about the future. He knows he loves both Jinki and Minho and that he wants to be with them for the rest of his life but nothing is guaranteed other than the fact that they’re his soulmates. He knows that Taeyeon means something special to him as well but he can’t figure out what because the feelings towards her are very unlike those towards Jinki and Minho. It’s not really love and then maybe it is anyway. There’s so many things to consider and so many things to constantly remember. 

He wonders what Jinki thinks of Taeyeon. They haven’t spoken about his multiple soulmates ever since Jinki fell in love with Minho but Jinki doesn’t seem sad. Kibum used to be good at reading Jinki but maybe he lost his abilities when he had to focus on Minho as well. He wonders how Minho’s parents see him even though he has never met them. He’s an intruder. They had been a happy family before fate had taken Yoojin’s mother away and then he’d come strolling along – and now he’s getting married to another man. 

Someone gently massages his shoulders and Kibum sighs heavily. 

“Are you okay?” Jinki whispers into his ear and Kibum turns around so he can look at the other. Jinki is wearing his glasses and a gentle smile. Kibum turns his head towards the reptile enclosure as he nods and Jinki works his magic on his shoulders. Kibum didn’t even know he’d been tense before Jinki had started with his massage.

“Are you okay with Taeyeon?” he asks suddenly and Jinki’s hands stop their magic for a second before they start again. It has Kibum closing his eyes.

“She seems like a nice girl… guy… person…” Kibum snorts a little at Jinki’s words before he opens his eyes and removes Jinki’s hands on his shoulders so he can turn around in the couch and fully face Jinki. 

“Mmmh,” he agrees but the thoughts are still on his mind. “Are you really ready to get married?” Kibum asks ten seconds later and Jinki widens his eyes. 

“If you don’t want to get married, we don’t…” Jinki never gets to finish his sentence before Kibum has pressed a finger to his lips and silenced him. 

“Ssssssh. I do. I really want to marry you. I just don’t want to rush you into things because you might be scared you’ll lose me to Minho or Taeyeon.” Jinki looks towards the floor and Kibum’s heart sinks in his chest. 

“It’s not that,” he says and Kibum tilts his head a little in confusion. 

“Baby, look at me.” Jinki lifts his head and their eyes meet and Kibum sees a mix of affection and excitement. 

“It’s not because I’m scared Minho will take you away from me and nor am I afraid Tae will suddenly take you away from me. But if you’re worried what people will say we can just …” Jinki trails off and Kibum blinks. 

“Just?” he asks a little confused. Jinki takes a deep breath. 

“Wait. Stay engaged. I’m ready because I love you, you know?” 

“Would you marry Minho if you could?” Kibum asks suddenly, the question catching both of them off guard. Jinki just looks at him. 

“Kibum…” Jinki says and tries to avoid but Kibum wants to know the answer so he asks again. Jinki is silent for far too many seconds and Kibum’s heart is speeding up without reason until Jinki shakes his head. “I love him, but I wouldn’t want to marry him.” There’s silent for a couple of seconds. “You know how scared I am of commitment, of losing something I have had prior and of being two. You knew how long it took before I acknowledged a relationship between us and not just the endless flirting and the dates we went on. I love Minho and I love you but you are the only one I want to commit myself to in a marriage.” 

The sincerity in Jinki’s words has Kibum’s eyes moist. Jinki trails a thumb over his cheekbones to collect any stray tears. Kibum doesn’t know what to say. He wants to tell Jinki the same but he’s stunned to silence. They’re interrupted when a door closes and Minho walks through the living room towards the kitchen. Kibum chuckles a little and removes his tears with his palm before he sends Jinki a smile.

“I love you too,” he says. Minho doesn’t say anything as he closes the door to the kitchen after him. Jinki sends Kibum a blinding smile and presses a kiss to his temple. 

They hear a dull thump from the kitchen and Jinki sighs a little before he looks over his shoulder and points towards the door. Kibum just laughs and nods. He hears Jinki scold Minho from the kitchen and he can’t help the smile that blooms on his face. 

 

“I want The Shilla Seoul,” Kibum says as they’re looking at venues. It’s a foolish suggestion to look through wedding venues when he and Jinki have an evening for themselves a week later but now that they’re looking through the different venues in Seoul, Kibum has fallen in love with the Shilla Seoul venue. It’s an old, traditional building with a beautiful park surrounding it. The venue is luxurious inside and beautiful on the outside and it is everything he wants and more. Neither of them has talked about serious details about their wedding but Kibum can feel excitement bubble up in him now that they’re actually looking. They’re actually getting married. 

“Have you seen the price?” Jinki asks and bursts the bubble of luxurious wedding dreams. Kibum glares at him. 

“Don’t you think we can rent it anyway?” Kibum pouts but Jinki is a pessimist and shakes his head. Kibum tells him that he’s just that and it has Jinki laughing. 

“It’s 5-starred and one of the most expensive venues. Neither of us is rich,” he says and Kibum sighs a little. He’s right. Neither he nor Jinki is rich and although their salaries aren’t exactly small and they’re not scraping the bottom every month, it may be a little overboard to want the most expensive venue for their wedding. Especially if they want some good food as well and a wedding cake. 

Kibum turns to look at his fiancé and asks him to buy him a new ring. Jinki just scoffs and tells him that he’ll have to survive with the golden engagement ring he bought when he proposed. Kibum shakes his head fondly and turns back to the computer screen. 

“How about this?” Jinki asks and points at an inn on the screen. Kibum scrunches up his nose and shakes his head. 

“Jinki, no.” Jinki just shrugs and Kibum sends him a glare. “Don’t you dare. I’m running away from the altar if you’re trying to make our wedding as cheap as possible.” Kibum’s threat has Jinki laughing and pecking his cheek. 

“Okay, okay.” They’re looking through the different venues until Kibum suddenly turns to look at Jinki. 

“When are we getting married?” he asks and Jinki turns towards him with wide eyes. 

“What?” Kibum rolls his eyes. 

“The date?” Kibum can see Jinki thinking until a small ‘oh’ slips passed his lips. They sit in silence for a while before they both shrugs and turns back towards the computer screen. 

“How about this?” Jinki asks and points towards a very dark wedding venue and Kibum slaps his thigh in annoyance. They’ll figure it out eventually. 

 

He’s standing in the stairwell. The door in front of him is a pale brown and the walls are a dusty yellow. He furrows his brows and presses the bell again. He can hear the echo in the apartment before the door opens. 

“Hey,” Taeyeon says and turns around so she can walk into her apartment. The walls in the small hallway are white and the apartment is small and cramped. “Sorry it’s messy,” she says and removes a couple of dresses from the couch as she passes. Kibum closes the door behind him and takes a look around. “Also, I’m Taeyeon today.” Kibum turns his attention back to his soulmate and nods a little. The small bark from behind one of the doors has Taeyeon cursing and the dog that runs past her when she opens the door has Kibum laughing a little. 

“Hey there,” he says as he squats so he can greet the canine. Taeyeon just sighs. 

“Eve, behave, will you?” The dog completely ignores her and she rolls her eyes and continues her spontaneous cleaning of the living room. Then she remembers that she has just brewed tea and hurries into the tiny kitchen. 

When they’re finally settled on her couch she shrugs a little. 

“It’s not much, but it’s mine.” She takes a sip of her tea and Kibum sends her a smile. 

“It’s nice.” His words have Taeyeon snorting. 

“You don’t have to lie,” she says and Kibum makes an exaggerated expression of confusion that has Taeyeon laughing. They talk about the dog at first and Taeyeon goes to get them another cup of tea. Taeyeon rolls her eyes when her neighbors start having sex and the screeching of the bed can be heard through the walls and Kibum cringes. 

“How do you live?” he asks and Taeyeon shrugs a little. 

“I play a porn with the volume on max when they go at it for too long.” She laughs. “It’s sort of a contest. Except I always win because I play porn, they just don’t know that. Jongin likes making lewd noises as well when he sleeps there, it’s become more of a joke.” Kibum can’t be more thankful for how large and soundproof his and Jinki’s apartment had been. Then he turns to her with a confused expression. 

“Didn’t you have people over sometimes?” Taeyeon looks at him with a now equally confused expression. Then it dawns on her and she pulls a grimace. 

“Yikes, no.” The answer has Kibum raising an eyebrow in question. “I’m aro ace. Not sex-repulsed but …” There’s silence in the apartment but the silence isn’t tense. Taeyeon sips on her tea and lifts the dog into her lap where it falls asleep. Kibum nods at the new information about his third soulmate. Then it suddenly hits him. 

“We’re platonic,” he says and Taeyeon blinks at him. Kibum taps the words on his neck. That’s why it feels different from Minho and Jinki. They’re not going to fall in love, he’s not going to ever love her the same way he loves Jinki and Minho. They might be bound by fate but even fate never works against sexuality. He sends her a smile when she says ‘oh’ and then nods. 

“Yeah,” she says and then goes back to drinking her tea like it isn’t the biggest revelation of the century for her. Maybe it isn’t. She probably knew from the start that there wouldn’t be romance involved in their relationship. Kibum feels stupid but he doesn’t tell her. Taeyeon steers the conversation topic away from their platonic relationship bound by fate when she gets bored by looking at an unresponsive Kibum and Kibum tries his hardest not to ask too many questions. They have plenty of time to get to know each other. 

 

The sun is hiding behind dark clouds, making the 19 degrees feel colder than they actually are. Kibum pulls his coat closer around him and shivers as he makes his way down the street. He yawns and fumbles with his phone when he receives a text from Minho that asks if he can pick up Yoojin from Minwoo instead. He buries his hand in his pocket together with the phone when he has answered and bites his lower lip out of habit. The café looks warm when he passes it so Kibum backtracks a couple of steps. 

As he enters, he’s greeted with hot air and the lovely smell of coffee. The line is small but still long enough to have Kibum spacing out while he waits for his order. Someone bumping into him is what wakes him up and he blinks a little at the man that now stands in front of him. 

“I didn’t mean to,” he says and Kibum feels the burn as the words carve themselves into his right thigh. His name is called behind him and the man in front of him is apologizing again, a look of concern slowly clouding his features. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” he says and only then realizes what he’s said. Then he widens his eyes and slams his hand over his mouth. His name is called again. “I’m so sorry!” He knows what it’s like to don curse words on his body courtesy of Taeyeon and he never actually meant to scar a soulmate with curse words either. Kibum never gave the idea that he could have more than 3 soulmates a chance but now that he’s standing with his fourth soulmate in front of him it becomes painfully obvious that he should have entertained that idea long before. 

His name is called for the third and final time and Kibum reaches out towards the stand so he can grab his coffee. The man is smaller than him, blond hair and friendly eyes. His facial features are sharp yet soft and Kibum has to admit that the man is quite attractive. 

“Kim Jonghyun,” he says and reaches a hand out towards Kibum. Kibum takes it dumbly and introduces himself in a daze. Jonghyun nods towards a table in a silent invitation to sit down. 

Kibum thinks he should be better than this. It’s not the first time he meets a soulmate, he shouldn’t be this dazed. But maybe that is exactly why he is so dazed as he sits down opposite of Jonghyun. It doesn’t really surprise him that Jonghyun is his soulmate, not the way it had surprised him when he had met Minho or the way he had been frustrated when he’d found Taeyeon’s words on his neck. It’s the feeling of exhaustion that runs through his body when he realizes that he has to explain his situation again and introduce Jinki, Minho and Taeyeon to yet another person that is bound to him by fate. Fate really played him big time when it decided that he should be the exception to the rule of only one soulmate. 

Jonghyun is looking at him with his head tilted in what looks like concern and Kibum shakes his head a little. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t expect to meet a soulmate in a coffee shop,” he says and sends Jonghyun a kind smile. Jonghyun just nods in understanding. 

“Me neither.” 

Jonghyun is friendly and talkative. He tells Kibum that he’s a child psychiatrist and that he currently lives with his sister in an apartment downtown. He talks about how much he loves dogs when Kibum tells him that he’s a vet and he talks about his favorite songs when they start talking about hobbies. Jonghyun is passionate about music and literature. It becomes painfully obvious when he starts talking about classical music and Franz Kafka and Kibum can’t conceal the smile. 

He’ll have a lot in common with Jinki when it comes to reading, Kibum muses and then stops himself. He has yet to tell Jonghyun that he isn’t single and that he’s with another 3 soulmates but he can’t get himself to spoil the big smile that lights up Jonghyun’s features. 

Kibum thinks back to when he met Jinki and how flustered he had been at finally meeting the one he was supposed to be with for the rest of his life. He guesses it’s a little like how Jonghyun is feeling, although a little more subdued because of their age. He almost feels guilty for having to ruin it for Jonghyun and tell him that he’s not the only one. Kibum can’t create the romantic future that Jonghyun seems to long for. A knot forms in his stomach as he empties his coffee cup. 

“I have to go,” he says when he looks at the time on his phone. He doesn’t want to tell Jonghyun that he’s leaving him in favor of picking up his soulmate’s child so he avoids the question and instead asks Jonghyun to give him his number so they can contact each other. Jonghyun sends him a smile and a small wave and Kibum can’t stop his chuckles as he waves back. Fuck. 

He’s sitting in the bus when he decides to call Jinki. Jinki doesn’t pick up and Kibum curses at his fiancé, gaining a few disapproving looks from a couple of elderly ladies. Minho is too busy to listen in the bank although he picks up. Kibum sighs. He could call Taeyeon but he doesn’t want to burden her with this soulmate-talk. 

He gets off the bus a stop earlier than he’s supposed to but he still has time and the fresh air will help him think everything through. Eventually, he’ll have to just come clean but maybe he can hide it for a day. Maybe he shouldn’t hide it, even for a day. It caused so much tension between them when he hid Minho and tried to deny his feelings. Except Kibum has only just met Jonghyun, they are nothing but mere acquaintances, except for the fact that they’re soulmates, so hiding him for a day or two would probably not hurt anyone. Then again, having their support would be lovely and he’s not sure he can actually hide Jonghyun from them. Jinki and Minho know him too well already and would probably be able to connect the dots if he acts differently than usual.

He doesn’t realize he has reached Minwoo’s house until Yoojin calls out for him from the window. 

“Kibum!” she says and looks at him with curious eyes. “Are you here for me?” She’s holding back a laugh when Kibum looks confused around before he gets eye contact with her. Then he chuckles too and nods. 

“Yes,” he calls for her but he doesn’t make any move to go towards the front door. Yoojin laughs and waves her hands at him. Kibum waves back to her with an exaggerated movement. Minwoo joins her in the window and starts waving as well. All three of them are laughing when Kibum decides it’s probably on time that he walks towards the house instead of standing on the sidewalk. 

Minwoo’s mother opens the door and invites him inside, used to seeing him with Yoojin. They get a cup of coffee while Yoojin and Minwoo gets a cup of hot chocolate. The cats are sleeping on the table and Kibum shakes his head fondly when one opens an eye and turns to look at him. Minwoo’s mother asks if they’re busy during the weekend because Minwoo is going to his grandparents’ in the countryside and has asked if Yoojin perhaps would like to come with him. Yoojin turns puppy eyes to Kibum and Kibum laughs. 

“It’s not my decision to make but I’ll ask your father,” he tells Yoojin and Minwoo’s mother. Yoojin sends Minwoo a knowing smirk that tells Kibum that she’ll convince her father to go. Minho is weak for his daughter and Kibum gets a feeling that she knows how to push his buttons exactly to get what she wants. 

When they say goodbye Yoojin bounces on her heels and runs a couple of steps in front of him. That way she can always reach their destination before him and it pleases her. Kibum just chuckles. 

 

Kibum flops down beside Minho on the couch and places his head on the other man’s shoulder. Minho looks from the TV to Kibum and then back to the TV. Kibum ignores him as well. Minho is warm and comfortable and the silence isn’t tense in any way. Kibum gently wraps his arm around Minho’s torso and snuggles even closer. He ignores the chuckle that escapes Minho and closes his eyes. He doesn’t really know what Minho is watching but Kibum doesn’t care either as he soaks up the familiarity of the tall man beside him. 

When Jinki arrives home the smell of food follows him and Kibum scrunches up his nose as he comes closer. He can hear Jinki kissing Minho quickly and he can feel him leaning closer but Kibum reaches a hand out and gets contact with what he supposes is Jinki’s chest. 

“Brush teeth first,” he mumbles and Jinki laughs. Kibum isn’t tired as such. The day has been eventful for sure but not that exhausting. He just likes to sit here beside Minho and feel the warmth he radiates. Jinki comes back a little later and makes a loud sound as he smacks his lips towards Kibum’s cheek in a kiss. Kibum just scrunches up his nose but his eyes stay closed. He can feel the couch dip when Jinki sits down in it as well. 

The small sound of books being lifted and papers being rustled under the sound of the TV has Kibum relaxing further. This is the most established he has ever felt since he met Minho. Then one of them places a hand on his thigh and Kibum’s eyes shoot open with the reminder that there’s one more. He gains confused looks from both Jinki and Minho. 

“I …” he starts and Minho pats his hand. Jinki starts rubbing Kibum’s thigh in soft motions. Kibum sighs a little and laces his fingers with Minho’s. “New soulmate,” he says and nods towards the words on his thigh under Jinki’s finger. Jinki squeezes his thigh and earns a glare from Kibum. Minho just blinks. 

“Hah,” Jinki suddenly exclaims and lets his hand trail up over Kibum’s thigh so it can rest on his stomach. “I still have the most important spot on your body.” Kibum starts laughing as Jinki presses a kiss to his cheek. Minho whines next to him and pouts towards Jinki that still looks smug. 

“That’s not fair!” he mumbles and Kibum turns towards him so he can climb into his lap. 

“It’s just because your sentence was so long, Mr.” It doesn’t remove the pout on Minho’s lips so Kibum dips in to kiss him. Jinki is still looking smug from where he’s sitting beside them. 

 

Kibum wakes up to an empty house on a Saturday in April. That is uncommon. He knows that Yoojin is out with Minwoo for the weekend but Jinki and Minho being away is odd. He looks through the refrigerator but finds nothing he wants to eat despite the refrigerator being full. The living room is strangely empty without the two other men and Kibum finds himself sighing as he pulls the blanket from the couch so he can drag it around his shoulder. He shuffles through the house before he ends up in the living room again, staring at the TV. Then his phone rings from the bedroom. 

Kibum doesn’t get to it in time and has to call the number again. When it’s picked up, it’s an excited Jonghyun on the other end that asks if he’s busy today or if he has time to spend with him. Kibum contemplates for a second but then decides that since he’s home alone nobody will talk him out of spending some time with a man he’s inevitably going to get know nonetheless and he agrees. 

They agree to meet up in the park so Jonghyun can bring his sister’s dachshund with him. 

Kibum has a lot of trouble figuring out what to wear. It usually doesn’t trouble him but he wants to make a good impression on his newest soulmate. He wishes he had had Minho to help him through because despite neither of his soulmates being fashionistas, Minho has the best style out of the three of them. He ends up wearing a black button-up and a skinny pair of ripped jeans and as he leaves the house he brings his trench coat around his shoulders. 

Jonghyun is in the park already, waiting for Kibum with a small dachshund puppy running around his legs, getting the leash entangled in Jonghyun’s legs. He’s about to fall over when the dog starts towards Kibum as he draws nearer and Kibum laughs as he reaches out a hand to grab Jonghyun’s elbow and steady him. Jonghyun scolds the dog softly and it has Kibum laughing again. The dog is getting way too little reprimand and far too much affection from the grown-up man. 

The dog’s name is Roo and she’s an energetic little dog. Jonghyun has brought her favorite ball with him and they settle down in the large green area before he starts throwing the ball out and wrestling it from the dog every time she draws near. Kibum can feel himself relax in the other man’s company. They talk about movies and travel spaces. Jonghyun doesn’t like to travel far but he loves anime and would love to visit Japan when he has time. Kibum suggests he just takes some vacation because surely he must be able to afford an extended weekend to Japan but Jonghyun shrugs. 

“It’s not that easy,” he says and Kibum looks at him, question in his eyes. Jonghyun just turns to look towards the dog so he can call her back to him. 

“Why not?” Kibum asks and Jonghyun wrestles the ball from the puppy before he throws it again. He follows the dog while Kibum looks at him and they get eye contact when Jonghyun turns his head towards Kibum. 

“We’re busy at the hospital,” he says and sends Kibum a small smile. “And there’s a patient I wouldn’t want to leave right now.” Jonghyun turns wistfully away from Kibum again and calls the dog towards him again. 

Roo goes to sleep 30 minutes later, exhausted from all the play and Kibum leans back on his hands. Jonghyun hasn’t spoken more about his job and Kibum hasn’t been prodding. Then he remembers that he needs to tell Jonghyun about the other three and that now is just as good as any other time. Kibum sighs a little and it has Jonghyun looking at him. 

“Unhappy with my company?” he asks and Kibum blinks a little in confusion before he shakes his head. 

“What? No.” It really isn’t that. Jonghyun doesn’t look at him and Kibum feels his heart sink a little. “Jonghyun, there’s something I have to tell you.” Kibum can almost see how Jonghyun deflates further as if he’s expecting rejection which is odd for someone as sociable and bright as Jonghyun. 

“But we’re soulmates,” he says as if it’ll stop the rejection he seems to be expecting. Kibum puts a hand on his shoulder and nods a little, even though Jonghyun isn’t looking at him. 

“I know. The thing is, you’re not my only soulmate.” This has Jonghyun turning his head towards Kibum. 

“What!” he says and it sounds more like an order than a question. Kibum winces and pulls down the collar of his button-up to reveal Taeyeon’s curse words on his neck. Jonghyun eyes them skeptically. Then Kibum wriggles his pants up over his ankle so he displays Minho’s words. Jonghyun looks horribly confused. 

“I’m engaged to the man who first put his words on my body, but they’re on my chest and I don’t really want to flash my torso here,” Kibum says a little embarrassed and wriggles his pants down over his ankle again to effectively cover Minho’s words. “It’s a little complicated and I don’t know how or why. I met my first soulmate, Jinki, when I was 17 and we got together a year after. Now we’re … uh, planning our wedding. I met my second soulmate last fall and it went pretty fast after that with the third soon after and now you.” Jonghyun turns to look towards the sky when Kibum finishes. Kibum bites his lower lip nervously. 

“But..?” he says and it sounds so confused it breaks Kibum’s heart a little. 

“I know,” Kibum agrees and puts a gentle hand on Jonghyun’s knee in an effort to comfort him. “They’re all going to be thrilled to meet you and all but…” Jonghyun gets up from the grass and sends Kibum a small smile. 

“I need to think this new information over, I’ll call you?” With those words, he bends down to put the leash on Roo before he leaves Kibum sitting on the grass alone. 

Kibum spends another 30 minutes on the grass in the park, hoping that he hasn’t scared Jonghyun away. Taeyeon had been mad she hadn’t known for some reason and telling Jinki about Minho had started a romantic mess Kibum would rather avoid if he was to choose again. But Jonghyun is a little unpredictable. He can only hope that his soul doesn’t fall in love with the smaller man if he decides he doesn’t want anything to do with Kibum and his multiple soulmates. 

When Kibum returns home the house is full but all of them immediately detects something off. Jinki raises an eyebrow in question but Kibum doesn’t say anything. Minho and Yoojin are playing Monopoly on the living room floor and Minho asks Kibum if he wants to join. Yoojin pulls him to sit down beside her and demands that he beats Minho because she doesn’t want to lose to her father. Kibum just nods and lets the fierce game for paper money take his mind off of the events in the park. 

 

“This is ridiculous,” Jinki says exasperated. Kibum is looking through his calendar without purpose. He already knows what date he wants to get married and he can’t for the life of him understand why Jinki just doesn’t accept it. 

“Can’t you just surrender? What’s wrong with being married on the day we got together?” Kibum asks in frustration and Jinki stops his pacing in the kitchen. 

“Why don’t I get to choose anything for this wedding?” Jinki says and Kibum narrows his eyes to splits. 

“For Christ sake Jinki, there are plenty of details! Why is the date so important to you?” Kibum sighs. Jinki glares at Kibum the same way Kibum glares at him. 

“Because it’s the most important detail,” he says and starts his pacing again. 

“It’s just a date!” Kibum says annoyed and Jinki stops and spins around so he can look at Kibum. 

“Aha!” he says and points a finger towards Kibum and Kibum rolls his eyes exasperated. “It’s just a date so why can’t it be August 28?” There’s a tense atmosphere in the kitchen but Kibum is not giving up. 

“August 28 is just a random date! You don’t even want a summer wedding, I know you. It’s not like it’s going to be a beach wedding and you’re going to be wearing a suit so why on Earth do you want such a warm day?” Jinki huffs and walks over so he stands in front of Kibum, both hands on the table. 

“It’s not just a random date,” Jinki says and Kibum raises an eyebrow. 

“Well, it certainly isn’t the official date we got together because that is May 25,” Kibum says and dares Jinki to give him any reason that August 28 should be special to their relationship. Jinki dodges the question. 

“May 25 is too close anyway, it’s already April,” he says and Kibum huffs and crosses his arms in front of his chest. 

“Stop avoiding the question, Lee Jinki.” Just then Minho walks into the kitchen to get a glass of water and Jinki turns his back to Kibum so he can grab Minho’s hand and put his head on Minho’s shoulder. “Don’t you dare…” Kibum says but gets interrupted by Jinki. 

“Don’t you think August 28 is a better date for our wedding than May 25, babe?” Jinki says directed to Minho and Kibum bites his lower lip so he doesn’t end up snapping at the younger man. He knows Jinki calls Minho babe out of spite of not getting his way and it’s childish and Kibum is not going to fall for that. Minho looks uncomfortable to be caught in the discussion and he gently removes himself from Jinki’s touch. 

“Uh, both dates sound great,” he says and then takes the filled glass. “I think I heard Yoojin call.” With those words, he hurries out of the kitchen with both Jinki and Kibum shouting at him that Yoojin isn’t home. When Minho doesn’t come back they turn back to glaring at each other. 

“Seriously Jinki, what is so amazing about August 28 that it has to be absolutely that date?” Kibum asks and puts his fingers against his temples to he can massage himself. Jinki turns his back to Kibum. 

“It’s just a great date,” he says and Kibum can hear the smirk. There’s a stupid reason and he knows it. 

“Good, so without any reason, we’re getting married on May 25,” he says and Jinki protests while he turns around. “Then tell me the fucking reason!” Kibum is getting tired of this ridiculous banter and Jinki doesn’t seem to want to make choosing a date any easier. 

“It’s the first time we had sex,” Jinki says and it stuns Kibum into silence. He closes his mouth after his jaw drops at the revelation. 

“I can’t believe you remember that,” Kibum says in astonishment and Jinki beams. Kibum isn’t exactly proud of him for remembering something as stupid as that. 

“So can we get married on August 28? I told you the reason, you think it’s just a date anyway and only have the cliché stupid reason for choosing May 25 anyway.” Jinki is about to leave the kitchen when Kibum grabs his t-shirt with a fist and holds him back. The glare in his eyes has Jinki covering a little. 

“No,” Kibum says with finality and Jinki huffs again. 

“Why not?” 

“We’re not getting married on the day we first had sex. That is disgusting. Weddings are romantic Jinki.” There’s silence between them for a couple of seconds before Jinki releases Kibum’s grip on his shirt. 

“Kibum…” Kibum can hear how exhausted Jinki is starting to sound but he knows the other won’t give up that easily. 

“Jinki…” They sit in silence for another 2 minutes and it feels like forever. Why is the date so important to Kibum that he can’t give Jinki his stupid August 28? It’s not like it’s going to hurt him if they push the date a little and maybe it doesn’t have to be May 25. There isn’t really any other reason for choosing May 25 than the fact that it’s their couple anniversary and maybe that is stupidly romantic and very cliché. 

“Okay, look at it realistically. If we choose August 28, Taeyeon and that new soulmate of yours will have a longer time to get accustomed to this whole wedding and this whole multiple soulmates-thing…” 

“Jonghyun,” Kibum interrupts him. Jinki looks at him with a questioning gaze. “My new soulmate is called Jonghyun.” 

“Taeyeon and Jonghyun, then,” Jinki says before he continues. “It’ll give us more time to come up with a theme, with a color scheme and all the details that we need to figure out. Then we don’t have to be in a wedding stress, I hate that and we’re going to get busy over May and June in the restaurant. It’ll be easier for me to take some time off in August and September and you know that as well. There is literally no reason not to have the wedding on August 28.” There’s a slight pause. “And it would be really cool to like have our wedding day on the day we first had sex.” Kibum sighs when he looks up at Jinki. He hates it when the other man is right. He also hates it when the other man is charming and right now he is both charming and right. Jinki looks at Kibum expectantly and Kibum nods a little. 

“Okay, okay, you’re right. God, I hate it when you’re right,” he admits and Jinki chuckles. 

“I fucking love you,” Jinki says and leans over the table to press his lips to Kibum’s. Kibum reciprocates but the kiss is short before he pulls away. 

“We should make a budget,” Kibum says and Jinki groans a little but nods anyway. 

“Money matters,” he says and Kibum laughs at him. There are few things Jinki doesn’t like but making budgets is one of the only things he simply can’t stand. Jinki leans in again with a twinkle in his eyes, however, and Kibum is still chuckling when he covers the last distance and connects their lips again. 

 

Kibum shouldn’t really be nervous but he is nervous when he steps in through the large double doors on each side. Minho is tangling their fingers together and handing the brown-haired female their paper tickets as they’re allowed into the hall to find their seats. In the end is placed a small stage, red curtains hiding the scenery behind. There’s a lot of talking in the hall as they find their seats. 

Minho turns around to talk to a couple Kibum doesn’t recognize; he assumes it’s parents to one of Yoojin’s classmates. He’s looking at the stage and he can almost feel the butterflies in his stomach from his first school play. 

When the light dims and a single spotlight lights up the stage, the hushed talking dies down. The principal stands on the stage first to present the stage and when the curtain goes up Kibum finds Yoojin on the stage. They’re playing their own version of Cinderella and he can feel the smile that lights up his face the more the watch. There’s a lot of children on the stage but Kibum never fails to find Yoojin. 

When the curtain ends the performance he claps enthusiastically with the rest of the parents. It is first when he looks towards Minho that he realizes that the other has tears in his eyes. He shakes his head lightly. As the children file from the stage, Minho hurries towards his daughter and lifts her in a spin. Kibum trails behind. He doesn’t want to interrupt an important moment between father and daughter but as soon as Minho puts her down again, Yoojin waves him towards her so she can hug him too. 

“You’re so good!” he says and Yoojin lights up in a smile. Minho nods to confirm Kibum’s words even though Kibum doesn’t doubt that Minho has already told her at least 10 times how good she was on stage. Yoojin joins her classmates behind the stage 5 minutes later so she can change into her normal clothes and Minho presses a kiss towards Kibum’s lips. 

“Thanks for coming,” he says and Kibum blinks in surprise before he softens and nods. Yoojin falls asleep in the car ride home and Minho sends Kibum another grateful smile before he carries her inside. Kibum feels immensely proud of her. 

 

There’s cold in the climbing hall but it’s also after hours. Kibum pulls his fingers into his sleeves and pulls his arms around him in a hug. On the big wall is Taemin climbing further and further up until he reaches the ceiling and dings with the small bell. The man that is securing Taemin slowly helps him down and Taemin thanks him as he releases his harness as he hits the floor. Kibum is still sitting on the floor, looking at the two men when Taemin stretches his back and turns to look at Kibum. Kibum sends him two thumbs-up and it has Taemin smiling big. Kibum waits while Taemin goes to change and when he reemerges from the changing rooms Kibum is standing at the door that leads into the cafeteria area. 

“I’m sorry it took so long,” Taemin says and slings his back over his shoulder. Kibum shakes his head with a smile and opens the door so he can lead the way out. Taemin is excited after the climb and Kibum feels his heart swell with a certain fondness that stems from the happiness that Taemin’s job seems to bring him. 

They’re on their way towards a smaller restaurant close to the climbing hall because Kibum needs to tell Taemin about the fourth soulmate as well. He is, honestly, a little worried at the reaction. Considering how little he had wanted to do with Kibum before his best friend had meddled and considering how mad he had been when he had realized he wasn’t the only soulmate, Kibum just simply can’t predict his reaction to the news of another one. 

They get a table near the back and Kibum is thankful for the spot because they’re relatively undisturbed by the other restaurant-goers. Taemin groans and complains of hunger and Kibum laughs a little and tells him to eat whatever he wants. Kibum isn’t going to judge the amount of food he can consume, he never has and he isn’t going to start now. Taemin nods a little. Kibum is about to tell Taemin when they get interrupted by the waiter and place their orders. 

“What were you about to say?” Taemin asks and takes a sip of the coke in front of him. Kibum takes a deep breath. He might as well get it over with. 

“I have another soulmate,” he says and Taemin becomes silent. The smile slips from his lips and his shoulder tense. 

“Okay,” he says and then it becomes quiet between them. Kibum can feel how he isn’t okay with it. It’s nothing that Kibum can change but he doesn’t want Taemin to isolate himself when their relationship was finally starting to be better. “What about us?” Taemin fumbles with his chopsticks and Kibum reaches out gently to place his fingers on Taemin’s. It’s an oddly intimate gesture but he’s allowed to do so. 

“Nothing about us. It changes nothing between us and it changes nothing in my relationship with Jinki and Minho. It’s the same dynamic as it was before. But you deserved to know as well. Jinki and Minho knows and you’re my soulmate too, so…” Kibum lets the words trail and die out when he doesn’t know how to explain anymore and Taemin just shrugs a little. 

“It seriously needs some getting used to. I’m not exactly fond of soulmates. As long as you don’t refer to them as soulmates, then I think I’ll be fine in accepting them. Is it a male or a female?” Taemin’s words have questions springing into Kibum’s mind but he doesn’t ask them, just accepts that Taemin doesn’t want him to refer to Jinki, Minho and Jonghyun as his soulmates. He can do that. Even if they are his soulmates. 

“Male,” Kibum answers him and Taemin pouts a little in thought. Kibum is pretty sure Taemin isn’t even aware that he’s doing it. 

Their food arrives a minute later and Taemin digs in without words. Kibum observes him and Taemin starts talking about a concert he wants to go to. Kibum just humors him when he answers the questions but he doesn’t forget what Taemin has earlier said about soulmates. He wonders why he hasn’t told him earlier, that he isn’t fond of soulmates and doesn’t want to be referred to as such. He wonders why Taemin isn’t fond of soulmates to begin with and whether or not he might have experienced something like Minho who lost his wife to a soulmate and a traffic accident. 

Then he shakes his head and decides not to dwell on it and instead enjoy his evening with Taemin. The more they talk, they more comfortable they get with each other, especially Taemin with Kibum, and Kibum wants to enjoy and remember all these small moments where he gets to see more of Taemin. The younger is done with his food long before Kibum has even reached half of his. 

“For someone who has been with a French chef, you sure eat slowly,” Taemin jets and Kibum rolls his eye. 

“Not everybody wants to keep doing their work when they get off, you know,” he says and Taemin just shrugs. Kibum isn’t fully sure Taemin really understands. The climbing instructor enjoys his job far too much. 

When Kibum returns home from his date with Taemin, there’s silent in the house. He guesses Yoojin is asleep and maybe Minho fell asleep with her as well. He slips off his shoes and advances through the house. He finds nobody in the living room but neither Jinki nor Minho is sleeping in the bedroom and Yoojin is the only one sleeping in her bed. 

Kibum sighs and walks towards the kitchen and when he opens the door, he finds Jinki in Minho’s lap, hands tangled in hair and placed on hips and papers all strewn out over the kitchen table. He raises an eyebrow while he looks at his fiancé and his boyfriend kiss each other fervently as if they have missed each other with all they have. Kibum leans against the doorway and silently counts the seconds. 

It isn’t until Minho groans that Kibum decides to announce his presence. The two men take their time with pulling away and looking towards Kibum. Minho has a smug smile on his lips and Jinki’s cheeks are tainted a little pink. 

“Hey baby, had a fun day?” Minho asks and Kibum nods and closes the door behind him as he walks into the kitchen. He sits down on the chair beside Minho and gently sneaks his hands around the other’s midsection and hooks his chin on Minho’s shoulder so he can look at Jinki. Jinki shakes his head a little at Kibum before he leans down to press a quick kiss to his lips. 

“Yeah, it was nice,” Kibum says and then turns to look at the papers strewn out over the kitchen table. It’s a lot of bank statements and in the middle is a handwritten piece of paper with a lot of numbers on. “What are you doing?” he asks. 

“Kissing,” Jinki says smugly and it has Kibum raising an eyebrow in his direction and Minho laughing. 

“We were making your wedding budget,” he explains and Kibum widens his eyes in realization. “And then Jinki got bored and decided that kissing was more fun.” Kibum snorts a little. Figures that Jinki would get tired of the numbers. 

“Thanks,” Kibum mumbles and presses a kiss to Minho’s neck and Minho hums his appreciation. 

“If I get so many kisses whenever I do bank work, I’ll take my overwork home,” he says Kibum laughs. Jinki tugs a little on his hair that is still tangled in his hands. Kibum just presses closer towards his back when he stops laughing and blows a little air against Minho’s ear. 

“Maybe you should,” he says and Minho shivers in his hold. Jinki presses a kiss to the other side of Minho’s neck and starts sucking a small mark there. Kibum can feel how Minho’s body tenses up at Jinki’s ministrations. Kibum lets his hand wander up over Minho's chest and slowly start unbuttoning his work-shirt and feels the goosebumps that raise on Minho’s chest as Kibum lets his hands slide over the skin he slowly reveals although he can’t see it. Jinki lets go of the skin on Minho’s neck so he can capture his lips in a kiss again and Kibum sends Jinki a smirk over Minho’s shoulder. The look he gets back has him feeling warm inside and his heart fluttering. 

When Kibum finally reaches the end of his shirt and gently push it aside he places his cold hands on Minho’s warm abdomen. His fingers gently caress the soft skin of Minho’s and Kibum can feel the dips of his muscles and the way they contract every time he touches something especially sensitive. Kibum lets his hands trail up his abdomen and over his chest so he can push the shirt over his shoulder. 

Minho wastes no time in removing his hands from Jinki’s hips so he can shrug out of the fabric. Kibum lets it fall to the floor before he presses up against Minho’s back again. He lets his hands explore the naked chest of his lover’s while he presses small kisses to his neck and shoulder so he doesn’t end up smashing his head against Jinki’s. When Jinki pulls away from the kiss, it’s to lift his t-shirt over his head and Kibum uses the time to gently rotate Minho so he doesn’t face his back. Jinki’s shirt hasn’t sunk to the floor before Kibum has attached his lips to Minho’s. 

Minho tastes of himself and Jinki and it drives Kibum crazy in the best way possible as he closes his eyes and enjoys the way their tongues slide together in a mad dance. Kibum can hear Minho groan and he swallows up the sounds while Jinki continues marking Minho’s skin. Kibum lets go of Minho’s lips when he feels someone pull insistently at his sweater and when he opens his eyes he gets eye contact with Jinki. He slowly slips the sweater over his head and with a quick wink towards the oldest of them, he places his mouth on Minho’s left nipple while Jinki attacks the right. Minho tries to conceal his moans and it only has Kibum smirking against his skin. He flicks his tongue over the budding nipple and then sucks while his hands gently caress his lower abdomen. 

Jinki is yanked from Minho’s chest and up against his lips again and Kibum can’t help the smirk. He knows that Jinki has a mean mouth that knows the exact places to suck to bring pleasure out in the most excruciating ways but Kibum also knows that he can do just as good. He places his hand on Minho’s erection and smirks when his gasp drowns in Jinki’s kiss-swollen lips. 

“Dad,” they hear a sleepy voice outside the kitchen door and Kibum wants to laugh. He gets off of his chair to open the door to the kitchen. Yoojin looks at him sleepily. “I’m thirsty,” she says and Kibum nods a little. 

“I’ll get you a glass of water. Go back to bed, sweetheart. Daddy will come in a moment.” Kibum smirks when he hears Minho groan a little but Kibum doesn’t do anything. When Yoojin has left the doorway and Kibum is filling up the glass he turns to look back at the two men he loves more than anything. 

“Go to your daughter,” he says and Jinki nods and climbs out of his lap so he can collect their discarded shirts on the floor. Kibum hands Minho the glass of water and pushes him out of the kitchen with a sweet ‘we’ll be waiting for you’. Minho groans again at the thought and Kibum smirks. Jinki grabs his hand and pulls him towards the bedroom. They shut the door behind them and Kibum hopes that Yoojin will fall asleep again soon.


	7. SEPT

It’s getting warmer and warmer in the weather as the days pass. They’re getting busier at the clinic because the vet two blocks down have had to close and that means that all their patients are now coming to Chung Wha Animal Hospital instead. Kibum shakes his head slightly to keep himself awake and then turns to look at Joohyun who looks just as tired as he does. She disappears into her office with a small smile and Kibum calls out for the next patient. He’s surprised to find Taeyeon and Eve in the waiting room but he doesn’t have time to think about it when the man with the small chihuahua walks towards him and into his office. 

When he finally has a small break for lunch he finds Joohyun and Changkyun in the staff room. Changkyun is almost sleeping into his lunch and Kibum pats his shoulder a little in sympathy. Joohyun looks up. 

“Maybe we should hire another vet,” she says towards Kibum. Kibum takes his lunch from the refrigerator and nods a little as he turns around. 

“And another veterinarian nurse,” Changkyun chimes in and yawns again. Then he seems to remember something and he curses before he gets up so he can clean and leave the staff room. Kibum looks after him with a sympathetic look. 

“He’s right. He’s been busier than we have,” he says and Joohyun nods her agreement. “But we need another office if we hire another vet. A nurse would help out, though.” They spend their lunch break discussing the possibilities of hiring another veterinarian nurse. 

When Kibum finally gets off of work he yawns. He has had a horribly busy day just like the day before and he’s tired. All he wants now is to get home so he can soak in the shower and forget how busy he’s been. He doesn’t get to day dream about a long, hot shower for more than a minute, however, before his phone starts ringing. Kibum blinks when he sees the name calling. It takes another 2 rings before Kibum realizes that he’s just staring at his phone. He fumbles with the device before he finally accepts the call. 

“Hello?” There’s silence on the other end and Kibum can hear his own heartbeat. It’s making him even more nervous. 

“Kibum?” the voice says after what feels like forever. Kibum breathes a sigh of relief and smiles. He passes by an elderly lady that sells vegetables on the street and sends her a wide smile. 

“Yes,” he says and he can hear the other breathe of relief as well. 

“Do you want to meet up? I end my shift in 15 minutes and I think I owe you an apology.” Kibum bites his lower lip and shakes his head until he realizes he can’t be seen.

“Oh, sure. Where do you want to meet up?” He’s on his way down the stairs to the metro station when the other talks again and suggests they meet up at a small café downtown and Kibum turns in the middle of the stairs and nearly crashes into a young woman who glares at him. Kibum is in too good a mood to let it affect him, however. They agree to meet up there and Kibum hangs up a few seconds later. He doesn’t want the other man to apologize, he has nothing to apologize for, but the fact that they’re going to talk is making Kibum slightly relieved. 

He arrives first and orders a coffee before he finds a table. He sheds his jacket and lets it hang over the chair next to him. Jonghyun arrives 20 minutes later with quick steps and worried glances and Kibum waves his hand slightly to get his attention. When they get eye contact, Jonghyun seems to relax a little and he makes his way towards Kibum’s table so he can put his jacket and bag on his chair. 

“I’ll just order,” he says and points back towards the desk. Kibum nods and sends him off with a smile. 3 minutes later Jonghyun comes back with a cup of coffee and sits opposite of Kibum. There’s silent between them for an additional 30 seconds before Kibum clears his throat. 

“You don’t have to apologize, by the way. I’m just happy you want to talk to me.” Jonghyun looks confused for a couple of seconds before he looks towards the table and focuses on his coffee. Kibum can feel his heart sink in his chest. He doesn’t want to say something wrong that will make Jonghyun leave. Jonghyun takes a sip of his coffee before he looks up and gets eye contact with Kibum. 

“I shouldn’t have left.” There’s a pause where Jonghyun bites his lower lip in thought and Kibum looks at him with his heart beating frantically in his heart, afraid of Jonghyun leaving again. “It’s just … I can’t believe you have three soulmates.” 

“Four,” Kibum corrects him and Jonghyun sends him a questioning gaze. “You’re my fourth soulmate.” Jonghyun nods a little ashamed and looks towards the table again. Kibum takes a sip of his coffee and the silence sinks over them again as they both wait for the other to take initiative to start the conversation again. Kibum finishes his coffee before he musters up his courage but Jonghyun talks first. 

“Who are they?” he asks in a small voice and takes a sip of his coffee, avoiding eye contact with Kibum. Kibum swallows the lump in his throat and fingers the rim of his coffee cup before he answers. 

“Jinki is my first soulmate, we went to high school together. He’s a chef, works at  _Acapella_  downtown.” Jonghyun widens his eyes in recognition at the name of the restaurant and mutters something Kibum can’t make out. “My second soulmate is called Minho. He works in Citibank. The third one is called Taeyeon and works as a climbing instructor.” When Kibum finishes his short introduction Jonghyun drinks the last of his coffee and sends him a timid smile. 

“Can I meet them?” he asks and Kibum blinks a little in surprise. 

“Now?” Jonghyun nods at Kibum’s question and Kibum stutters a little. He doesn’t know their work schedules or if they’re up to meeting his fourth soulmate. Jinki and Minho may be if they’re not busy because they seem to have accepted the fact that he has a new soulmate. Taeyeon is probably going to be a little less willing to meet up with Jonghyun and especially without warning. Kibum sighs a little and then looks up. “I don’t know if they’re busy.” There’s silence as Jonghyun nods in understanding. 

“I don’t really get how it works,” he admits a couple of seconds later and Kibum looks at Jonghyun. 

“I don’t really know how it happened either, but we make it work. Jinki, Minho and I are in a polyamorous relationship, Taeyeon is platonic.” Kibum finds his phone when he hears the notification sound of an incoming text message. He smiles as he reads through it and when he returns his attention back to Jonghyun he notices a smile playing on the other man’s lips that hasn’t been there earlier. There’s still a little apprehension in his eyes and he still seems to be a little on edge with the conversation topic and the idea that his soulmate, the one that was supposed to be only for him, has multiple soulmates, but the more time passes, the more the idea seems to sink in. It’s not like either of them can do anything to change it. Kibum pockets his phone again and turns to Jonghyun. 

“Do you want to eat dinner at our house? I know it’s fast but Jinki says he has a new recipe he wants to try out and they’re usually super delicious. That way you would get to meet them too?” Kibum suggests and Jonghyun fumbles with his finger ring and drops it onto the table. 

“I promised my sister to be home so I could eat with her. Next time maybe?” There’s a small smile but Kibum has a feeling it is an excuse. He doesn’t say anything, just nods and tells Jonghyun that it’s okay. Jonghyun nods and apologizes once again for walking away when Kibum had first told about the multiple soulmates. It has Kibum chuckling a little and assuring Jonghyun that it’s okay. Kibum understands. 

When they part ways an hour later Kibum is sure he’ll hear from Jonghyun again, but it may take some time for the man to warm up to the idea of sharing Kibum, even if he has accepted that he will never be the only one. Jinki presents him with a plate of chicken and a sauce Kibum has never seen in his life when he comes home. When he asks what it is Jinki refuses to answer. Kibum looks at Jinki when they’re done with eating and sends his back a smile. Jonghyun will fit in perfectly but he’ll wait for him to come around, just like he waits for Taeyeon. There’s no rush. 

 

Jinki approaches him a few days later when Kibum is lying on the couch, reading a fashion magazine. Minho is feeding Seondeok and Yoojin is drawing in her room. Jinki places his hands on Kibum’s shoulders and gains his attention that way. Kibum just raises an eyebrow in question at him. Jinki looks around the room as if he’s avoiding Kibum and that has Kibum slightly worried until they get eye contact. 

“Can Joon be best man?” he asks, voice low. Minho turns around when he closes the enclosure and leaves the living room so he can put the frozen mice away in the kitchen again. Kibum just looks at Jinki, gaze questioning. “We never really talked about it, I know, but … It would mean a lot to me if it’s okay?” Kibum just nods. 

“Sure,” he says and sees Jinki exhale deeply as if he had been nervous to answer. “But I want to walk up the aisle with my husband-to-be. No fathers.” Jinki just sends him a small smile and nods. 

“Of course, of course.” Jinki gently nods towards the bedroom before he leaves Kibum on the couch to his magazine again. Kibum looks towards Jinki and sees his back disappearing behind the corner. Minho enters the living room a second later and plops down on the couch beside Kibum. He turns on the TV so he can watch the news and Kibum returns to his magazine. When Kibum places his magazine on the table 30 seconds later he pulls Minho against him and the taller man rests against Kibum’s shoulder. Yoojin enters the living room at that moment and scrunches up her nose and pretends not to see her father and his soulmate. 

 

Kibum is more than surprised when he enters  _Acapella_  and spots Jonghyun with a woman. Jonghyun doesn’t notice him and Kibum turns his back to the table so he can focus on the waitress in front of him. She guides him to a table for two and hands him a menu. She’s new. He knows Jinki has been complaining about new staff even though Jinki isn’t manager. He had deliberately turned down that position so he could focus on cooking. 

Kibum orders a steak diane and then directs his attention to the blond man and his female companion a few tables away. Jonghyun still hasn’t noticed him. He’s talking animatedly and this has Kibum smiling fondly. Kibum spends longer eating than he usually does as he observes the man he now calls his soulmate as well. He’s contemplating whether or not he should talk to him when Jinki plops down in the seat opposite of his and obscures the view. Jinki turns back to find what Kibum is looking at but when he doesn’t find it, he turns back to Kibum again. 

“What are you looking at?” he asks and Kibum sends him a smile. 

“Hello to you too,” he says and Jinki rolls his eyes and awaits an answer to his question. Kibum sighs. “My soulmate is here.” Jinki blinks in confusion. 

“I work here?” he says and it has Kibum snorting with laughter. 

“Not you, silly. Jonghyun.” Kibum can see Jinki thinking. He’s about to ask who Jonghyun is when he remembers and widens his eyes and turns around in his chair so he can look at the guests. “Yah!” Kibum whispers and slaps Jinki’s hand. Jinki turns to look at Kibum again. 

“You don’t want me to meet him?” Jinki is pouting and Kibum rolls his eyes and finishes his dinner. Jinki is still pouting when Kibum looks up from his plate and he sighs. 

“Will you stop it and act like you’re 28, please?” Jinki doesn’t stop. It has Kibum shaking his head slightly at the immature behavior of the older man but he loves him too much to be annoyed by it. He leans over the table and pecks Jinki’s lips and Jinki lights up in a smile. 

“Seriously, though? Shouldn’t you introduce us?” Jinki asks and Kibum shrugs a little. 

“He’d be such an unfortunate soul if he was to meet you. I’m not sure I want to subject him to that.” Jinki looks positively offended at that and Kibum just sends him a smirk. 

“I’m not that bad,” Jinki murmurs but none of them gets to say anymore before another presence joins their table and both of them look up. Kibum widens his eyes when he gets eye contact with Jonghyun. Jonghyun is fumbling with his finger ring nervously and Jinki lights up in a big smile. It’s comfortable and safe but Jonghyun doesn’t seem to appreciate it. 

“Hey Kibum,” he says and Kibum sends him a smile, smaller than Jinki’s but it has Jonghyun smiling slightly too. Then Jonghyun braves himself and looks at Jinki. He reaches a hand out towards the older man and Jinki shakes it. Kibum almost feels jealous at the sight of their locked hands despite it being too formal to be anything other than a first meeting. 

“Lee Jinki,” Jinki says and Jonghyun introduces himself by name as well. Jinki is about to suggest something when his phone starts ringing. He takes a look at the caller ID and then gestures behind him to indicate that he has to take the call. Jonghyun turns his attention back to Kibum. 

“I wasn’t expecting to meet you here,” Kibum says and then looks around Jonghyun to the woman that stands a few meters away. His gaze has Jonghyun remembering her and he turns around and sends her a smile. 

“I should probably get back. Enjoy your evening.” Jonghyun sends Kibum a smile and turns back towards the woman. Jinki comes back then with a frown displayed on his face. Kibum gets up to meet him but Jinki just quickly grabs his shoulders. 

“Can you get home by yourself? My mother ended up at the hospital; it’s not severe but my father needs me there. I’ll be home late.” He kisses Kibum and when Kibum nods he hurries off, almost running out of the restaurant. Kibum gathers his things, pays for his meal and says goodbye to the new waitress and when he walks out of the restaurant and into the fresh evening breeze, he takes a deep breath. He’ll have to take the metro home. 

He starts walking towards the metro station when he stops and looks up at the dark sky. He hopes Jinki meant it when he said it wasn’t severe. He likes his mother-in-law. The more he stares into the stars that start popping onto the night sky, the worse he feels for letting Jinki leave him. He should be there to support his fiancé. It’s not that he’s busy because he isn’t. He’s a bad fiancé. Kibum sighs a little before he starts walking again, his steps heavy with guilt. Minho knows that something is off the minute he sets foot in the house and wraps his arms around him in a hug. Kibum doesn’t say anything but he doesn’t need to. He can’t say much anyway, even if he had chosen to speak. 

They go to bed later that evening but Kibum can’t sleep. He hasn’t gotten a text back from Jinki when he had asked if his mother was alright and it bothers him. He keeps turning in the sheets, Minho’s usual heat no longer comforting. Kibum sighs as he gets out of bed and wanders through the house aimlessly. He keeps walking between the front door and the living room, waiting patiently for Jinki to return. 

When he does fall asleep, it’s on the couch at 4 AM. 

 

His neck is hurting when he wakes up a few hours later and Kibum groans in pain. He can hear Yoojin talking excitedly to someone in the kitchen. At first he assumes it’s Minho but then Jinki’s voice sounds from the kitchen and Kibum scrambles off the couch and into the kitchen. There are four people in the kitchen and they all turn to Kibum. He just stares at them. Minho sends him a smile and reaches out to take his hand, Taeyeon nurses a cup of hot chocolate next to Yoojin that has been talking about soccer practice and Jinki is reading the newspaper. Kibum blinks a little when Minho grabs his hand and then time starts again. Yoojin continues her talk and Taeyeon nods enthusiastically at the right moments, Jinki returns to the newspaper and Minho pulls Kibum closer to him so Kibum can plop down in his lap. 

“Slept well?” Minho asks and Kibum cracks his neck and winces slightly. Minho just chuckles at the sight. Kibum doesn’t even have to say how awful he slept on the couch and how tired he still is because Minho knows already. Kibum leans his back against the strong chest behind him and Minho rests his chin on Kibum’s shoulder. Then he really registers that Taeyeon is in their apartment. What is she doing here? 

He doesn’t get to ask before a yawn forces its way out and Jinki automatically slides his coffee in the general direction of Minho and Kibum. Kibum grabs it and takes a swig. Taeyeon starts laughing at that and Yoojin looks at her confused, not understanding what’s so funny to her. Taeyeon just shakes her head and tells Yoojin she’ll take her for an outdoor climb when the weather turns even better in May. Minho protests loudly and tells Taeyeon that she can’t take his daughter and do extreme sports with her. Taeyeon just rolls her eyes and dares Minho to join them. Kibum continues drinking the rest of Jinki’s coffee and when Jinki puts the newspaper down, Kibum remembers that his mother had been hospitalized the evening before. He turns towards Jinki quickly, hitting Minho lightly in the chest in his movements. 

“How’s your mother?” he asks and everybody turns to Jinki. Jinki just waves a hand in the air to wave Kibum’s concern away. 

“It was a bacterial infection that caused a high fever. They sent her home with antibiotics after her fever went down a little. She’ll be fine. I told my father to call if he needs help.” Kibum nods a little and Jinki gets up from his chair. When he passes Kibum and Minho he presses a quick kiss to Kibum’s lips and grabs his empty coffee mug so he can get a refill. Taeyeon and Yoojin look at each other and grimace. Their gesture has Kibum laughing and he puckers his lips out towards them. 

Kibum takes a shower 30 minutes later. Minho has asked Yoojin and Taeyeon to move in the kitchen so he can finish the budget for Yoojin’s soccer club. 

When Kibum enters the living room, Taeyeon is eyeing Seondeok skeptically. 

“Where’s Yoojin?” Kibum asks and Taeyeon jumps a little on the couch at the sudden question. She winces and then points towards the hallway. 

“She wanted to show me Dangun,” she says but doesn’t manage to mask her displeasure. Kibum snorts a little and sits down beside her. 

“Why are you here?” Kibum asks after a few minutes of silence. Taeyeon just sends him a smirk at that. 

“Minho wanted to discuss something with me.” Kibum knows he’s not going to get more answers, even if he asks more so he drops the issue. 

“It’s nice you’re here.” Taeyeon nods a little and Yoojin enters again, the ball python curled around her neck. Taeyeon swallows visibly and Kibum scoots over to make space between them. Yoojin plops down in the middle of the couch and turns to Taeyeon and asks her if she wants to touch. She declines politely. Kibum sits in silence and observes them while Yoojin talks enthusiastically about Dangun and Seondeok and it’s only when the discomfort on Taeyeon’s face becomes too much that he asks Yoojin to put Dangun back in his enclosure. Yoojin pouts at him but Kibum just shakes his head at her. She gets up slowly but does what she’s asked. Kibum just turns to Taeyeon and first now really looks at her. She’s dressed in a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt. 

“Tae?” he asks and she turns to look at him. 

“Min,” he says and Kibum nods. Then he feels at fault for not asking earlier. He should have asked when he saw him in the morning first thing. Taemin places his hand on Kibum’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, I was Taeyeon two minutes ago.” This has Kibum raising a questioning eyebrow but Taemin doesn’t elaborate. Instead, he leans back on the couch. Kibum just looks at him. The guilt of not asking comes back a few seconds later and Kibum bites his cheek before he turns towards Taemin. 

“Still, I should’ve asked,” Kibum says. Taemin just shrugs. 

“It’s really no big deal.” Kibum has a feeling that it’s a lie but doesn’t say anymore. There’s no reason to discuss it if Taemin isn’t in the mood for discussing things. That is one thing he has learned in the time he has known Taemin. If the other doesn’t want to talk about something there’s no need to prod as it will only leave him more closed off and harder to get close to. 

Jinki leaves the house an hour later with Minho. They say it’s secrets and Kibum glares after them when the front door is shut. Taemin laughs from the living room where he and Yoojin have engaged in a game of Uno. Kibum joins them. Time flies by like that until Yoojin asks Kibum if she can play with a classmate that lives close by. Kibum takes a look at his watch and frowns when he notices it’s 4 in the afternoon and tells Yoojin no. She isn’t very satisfied with that response and she stomps her way to her bedroom, slamming the door shut to make sure Kibum knows just how mad she is. Kibum doesn’t follow her. Taemin looks at both of them before he sighs and turns to look at the floor. 

“How are the wedding preparations going?” Taemin asks out of the blue and Kibum widens his eyes in confusion for a second or two before he understands. He leans back against the couch and sends Taemin a small smile. 

“Slowly moving forward. We don’t know much yet. But we have a date so I suppose that’s a start.” Taemin nods and then proceeds to ask if Kibum is busy in the week that’s about to come. They arrange to meet up the following Friday after work and Yoojin stomps past them and into the kitchen the next second, still mad. 

 

Taemin greets him Friday afternoon and drags him towards the shopping district. He’s mumbling something about a trip he and his co-workers have planned for the weekend but Kibum doesn’t fully catch it. Instead of elaborating Taemin drags him into a high-end fashion store that displays tailored suits and he looks around until he catches Taemin’s gaze. 

“Why…?” he starts but the salesman interrupts him. 

“How may I help you?” The salesman is looking at them and then Taemin punches him on the shoulder and the man starts grinning. 

“Jongin, you idiot.” Jongin just continues his grinning. “We’re looking for a suit to Kibum.” Kibum blinks in confusion. 

“We are?” he asks and Taemin rolls his eyes and turns his attention back to Kibum. 

“Say, are you getting married or not?” Taemin asks and Kibum nods. 

“I am,” he says confidently and Taemin gestures towards Jongin in a way that suggests that his question somehow answers Kibum’s. That’s when Kibum realizes why they’re here to begin with. He turns to Taemin with wide eyes and Taemin just sends him a smile. Jongin is walking towards the back of the store and Taemin nudges Kibum’s side to get him to follow. Jongin leads to a corner of the store where they store the finest of their suits and while Kibum looks through them he realizes that he has no idea what Jinki is going to wear. He doesn’t know if they’re going to match or if they’re even going to wear the same suit. He doesn’t even know if one of them is supposed to wear white. He concludes that he should probably talk to Jinki about a color scheme before he starts looking at suits for real, but now that he’s here, he might as well enjoy looking at them. 

Kibum takes a step forward and starts sorting through the different kind of suit jackets. The colors range from black to beige and the cut is different on most of them. He lets his fingers run over the fabric and shivers at how expensive it feels and then he looks at the price tag and narrows his eyes. When he turns towards Taemin, he notices the man in deep conversation with Jongin that seems to have forgotten his purpose of selling suits to Kibum. Kibum just shakes his head lightly when he realizes that they’re only here because Jongin works here. It’s not because Taemin actually thinks he could afford one of the suits and although the suits are expensive, Kibum would be able to afford a few of them. He doesn’t tell Taemin that, however, when he walks back over and tells them that he needs to talk to Jinki before he can start looking for suits. Taemin raises an eyebrow at him. 

“Jinki’s not supposed to know what you’re going to wear?” he says and Kibum hums in agreement. 

“No, but I think we should settle for a color scheme. Otherwise I’m afraid he’ll show up in pink courtesy of Yoojin.” This has Taemin laughing and Kibum can’t help the smile that spreads on his lips. They say goodbye to Jongin and Taemin asks if he wants to get a cup of coffee before he has to go home so he can pack for the trip. They end up in a small café that lies on the second floor of a small building. The streets are bustling with life in the early May afternoon but the café is chilly with the air condition creating a nice atmosphere. There are young couples drinking coffee and talking and a man with his computer absorbed in his work. And then – at the end table is Jonghyun. Jonghyun is reading while he sips his coffee. Kibum turns to look at Taemin who is looking around for a table in the busy café. 

“Want to meet my fourth partner?” he asks and Taemin turns to him with a very confused expression. 

“Eh?” he says and Kibum gently taps the words on his neck. “Oh.” Taemin looks around the café with a newfound interest and raises an eyebrow when he spots the man working on his computer. “He’s that old?” he whispers to Kibum who almost chokes on his own spit. 

“No, come.” He grabs Taemin’s hand and pulls him towards the lone table where Jonghyun is propping his head in his hands so he can read while the book lies on the table. Jonghyun doesn’t look up when they come closer. It isn’t until Kibum greets him that he looks up with a wide smile. He blinks when he notices Taemin by his side. Taemin eyes Jonghyun skeptically for a few seconds. 

“Can we join?” Kibum asks and Jonghyun turns his attention back to Kibum. 

“Uh, sure,” he says and making sure he has put the mark the right place before he closes his book. Kibum just slides into a chair and gestures for Taemin to do the same. 

“Taemin, this is my fourth soulmate, Jonghyun – Jonghyun, this is Taemin.” The two men shake hands over the table and then Jonghyun turns back to Kibum. 

“What brings you here?” It’s Taemin that answers Jonghyun’s question, though, and Kibum just watches as Taemin slowly loosens up as Jonghyun asks to his job and how Jonghyun’s smile gets wider as they all engage in conversation. They talk for an hour before Taemin realizes what time it is and Kibum promises him that he’s always welcome at the house. Taemin leaves the two of them and Kibum turns to look at Jonghyun. Jonghyun is smiling and Kibum feels at ease. 

“You’re also always welcome at the house, you know,” he says and Jonghyun nods as he packs his book away. 

They leave together, Jonghyun accidentally brushing his fingers against Kibum’s and Kibum grabs his hand so he can link their fingers. The air is chilly when they step outside and Kibum shivers in the cold. Jonghyun just sends him a smile and squeezes their hands. The atmosphere is comfortable. Then Jonghyun turns to Kibum and stops abruptly which causes Kibum to stop as well. 

“Wait, didn’t you say you had three soulmates excluding me?” Kibum raises an eyebrow in confusion and nods. 

“Yeah?” he says in question and waits for Jonghyun to elaborate. 

“Didn’t you mention a female name, though?” Jonghyun asks and Kibum nods a little. Yes. Right. Taeyeon. He had said Taeyeon. But Taemin hadn’t been female today, even his clothing had hidden away his feminine attributes. It isn’t Kibum’s place to explain about Taemin, not in details, however. Except he needs to explain so Jonghyun doesn’t think he lied to him. Kibum sends him a small smile. 

“Yeah, I did. Taemin and Taeyeon are the same person.” It takes Jonghyun a few seconds before he connects the dots and he nods a little. 

“I like him,” he says then and Kibum’s smile widens. He’s happy. He doesn’t want his soulmates to be enemies and he doesn’t want them to dislike each other. They walk down the street hand in hand until Jonghyun gets a call and has to leave. Kibum buries his hands in his pockets and continues down the street, towards the metro station and towards home. 

 

Yoojin zooms past him and into the kitchen. Kibum looks over his shoulder but she’s already gone and he chuckles a little. 

“No running,” Minho yells from the hallway where he’s folding laundry. Jinki enters the living room from the bedroom with nuzzled hair and Kibum raises an eyebrow in question. Jinki doesn’t answer the silent question but yawns instead. 

When the doorbell rings, Yoojin is running from the kitchen to the front door, exclaiming a loud ‘Tae’ that informs the rest of the house that Taeyeon has arrived. She’s wearing a flowery dress that stops short above her knees and Yoojin sends her a sweet smile that only screams trouble, but Taeyeon doesn’t catch it. Kibum does, however. Instead of reprimanding her, he leans in to give Taeyeon a hug and confirm that she is Taeyeon and not Taemin. Jinki sends her a wave and yawns immediately afterwards and Taeyeon rolls her eyes. 

Minho finishes with the laundry and sends Taeyeon a smile as he passes her so he can put it away in their bedroom. Yoojin enters the hallway again and pulls Taeyeon with her to the kitchen. Jinki gets up from the couch and points towards the bathroom and Kibum skips to him so he can press a kiss to his lips. 

“Want to shower together?” he asks and wiggles his eyebrows. Jinki just pushes him away and shakes his head with a hearty laugh that has Kibum’s heart swelling in love. 

Kibum follows the female voices into the kitchen where he finds Yoojin and Taeyeon making flower crowns. He joins them at the kitchen table and soon enough he has more flower in his hair than the other two combined. Yoojin laughs when Taeyeon places a paeonia down his shirt and Kibum looks down at the pink flower before he sticks a camellia down her shirt. Taeyeon gasps loudly and mock-offended and Kibum just laughs as the doorbell rings again. Kibum gets up and calls to Minho that he’ll get it. 

When he opens the door Jonghyun widens his eyes and stares at his soulmate. Kibum then remembers that he has flowers all over his hair and down his shirt and he chuckles a little. He removes the paeonia from his shirt and shrugs a little. Jonghyun starts chuckling too. Kibum shows Jonghyun the bathroom before he gestures to the kitchen. Taeyeon and Yoojin are laughing as they continue to connect the flowers in horribly mismatched flower crowns. Taeyeon looks up and sends Jonghyun a smile and Yoojin tilts her head to better look at him. 

“Hey, I’m Jonghyun,” he says and Yoojin narrows her eyes. 

“Yoojin, stop it,” a voice says behind them and Jonghyun spins around. Kibum turns around to send Minho a smile. “Choi Minho,” Minho says and reaches out towards Jonghyun. Jonghyun grabs his hand and shakes it. 

“Kim Jonghyun,” he says. Minho then turns around to look at Yoojin and Taeyeon before he sighs. 

“Yoojin, where did you get all the flowers?” She bites her lower lip and blinks innocently at her father. Kibum grabs Jonghyun’s hand to make sure he doesn’t feel left out in the company of people who know each other well. Jonghyun squeezes his hand appreciatively. 

“Don’t be a spoilsport, Minho,” Taeyeon says and Yoojin nods enthusiastically. Minho sighs and grabs an anemone and sticks it behind Yoojin’s ear. 

“Hey babe, have you seen my … oh.” Kibum looks towards the entrance to the kitchen where Jinki stands half-naked and looks at all of them. 

“What are you looking for?” Kibum asks and Jinki tries to hide his naked chest to no avail. 

“My pink hoodie,” he answers and Kibum releases Jonghyun’s hand. 

“I borrowed it yesterday, let me find it.” He sends Jonghyun a small smile before he leaves the kitchen, Jinki in tow. When they return to the kitchen, Jonghyun is laughing with Taeyeon as Yoojin reaches up to place a small hibiscus in his hair too. Minho is asking them repeatedly to start cleaning the table so he can start dinner now that they’re all here and Taeyeon gets up too so she can help Minho with the food. She has barely opened the cupboard before she shrieks. 

“Choi Yoojin!” she yells and Yoojin dashes out of the kitchen, her laughter hysterical. Taeyeon is pulling the plastic snake out of the cupboard with a grip so tight she would have choked it had it been an actual snake. Jinki just turns to Jonghyun so he can apologize for the sight he had to see. Jonghyun shakes his head gently. 

As Kibum has predicted, Jonghyun and Jinki have a lot in common when it comes to literature. Jonghyun is talking enthusiastically as if he belongs to the house just like the rest of them. Taeyeon hasn’t forgiven Yoojin for her prank yet so she makes sure to ignore her for the most of dinner. Kibum is talking to Minho about a movie they want to watch. Yoojin is busy trying to arrange her food into artsy patterns so she can show Taeyeon despite Taeyeon still being annoyed. 

Jonghyun leaves first around 9 in the evening. He says he doesn’t want to intrude but Kibum promises him that he hasn’t intruded anything. He can’t get him to stay, however, and so he hugs him goodbye. Kibum climbs into Jinki’s lap and sighs content. Jinki just looks at him with a raised eyebrow before he decides he isn’t going to get any answer out of his fiancé and continues watching the show on the TV. Minho is braiding and unbraiding Yoojin’s hair while she watches TV. A small buzz has Kibum looking up and he grabs his phone from the coffee table. He smiles when he reads the text from Jonghyun and once again assures him that he’s always welcome in the house. 

Kibum goes to bed an hour later while Minho reads Yoojin a bedtime story. Jinki stays in the living room. 

 

“How many friends do you think we should invite?” Kibum asks and rests the pen against his lower lip. He’s been trying to figure out how many guests they are going to invite to their wedding. Their parents, of course, and their grandparents. Kibum’s two aunts and his uncle including his 6 cousins are invited as well. The same are Jinki’s two aunts and his uncle including his 7 cousins. Minho, Yoojin, Taeyeon and Jonghyun are invited as well. Joon and Nicole are invited as well along with their families. That amounts to a total of 41 guests. But Kibum wants a bigger wedding. Jinki shrugs. 

“I don’t know. Are you going to invite your co-workers?” he asks and Kibum taps the pen against his lip a couple of times before he looks back to Jinki. 

“Do you think I should do that?” Kibum stops tapping the pen against his lip and instead puts it down on paper. Jinki sits down next to him. 

“Who have you invited so far?” Jinki peeks over his shoulder and Kibum hands him the paper with the names. Jinki reads it over before pushing it back to Kibum. 

“So?” he asks and Jinki sends him a smile. Kibum rolls his eyes. 

“I think it’s a nice summary of our families. How many friends were you planning on inviting?” This time it’s Kibum that shrugs and he turns back to the paper. Jinki rests his arm around Kibum’s shoulder. 

“I was thinking of inviting Soyou and her girlfriend and Woohyun for sure.” Kibum leans against Jinki and rests in his comfortable hold. Jinki just hums a little. 

“I think I want to invite Dojoon and Yonghwa and their families,” Jinki says and this time it’s Kibum that hums a little. 

“I didn’t know you still spoke to Yonghwa,” he says and Jinki turns towards him so he can look Kibum in the eye. 

“Of course I do. He’s got a really lovely wife and four kids.” Kibum almost chokes on his spit. 

“Four?!” he asks incredulously and Jinki nods, eyebrow raised before he starts laughing at Kibum’s facial expression. Kibum scoffs and tries to hide away but Jinki doesn’t let him, a hand on his chin forcing him to look Jinki in the eye. 

“I love you,” he says and Kibum rolls his eyes. 

“So, Doojoon, Yonghwa, Soyou, Woohyun and family. Who else?” Kibum asks and writes the names down on the paper. 

“Can I invite Junhyung and Jungah too?” Jinki asks and Kibum writes the names down on the paper before he looks at Jinki. 

“Any French friends?” Kibum asks and Jinki shakes his head a little. 

“Nah, I lost contact with most of them,” he says and Kibum nods a little. They’re sitting in silence for the next couple of minutes. Kibum keeps thinking of friends to invite. He doesn’t want to invite everybody just to have a big wedding but finding the balance between ‘good friends’ and ‘good friends that should be invited to the wedding’ is hard. He sighs a little and Jinki kisses his cheek before he gets up. “You’ll figure it out,” he says before he starts looking through the refrigerator for something to eat. Kibum looks up at his fiancé. 

“If I invite Jaejin, Min and Nana, would that be too many?” he asks and Jinki shakes his head. Kibum turns back to the paper and writes their names down with a question mark behind. He hasn’t seen Min since she moved to Busan with her boyfriend and Jaejin has been struggling with his daughter after his divorce. At the same time, they are Kibum’s friends and he enjoys their company. Making a guest list for a wedding is harder than he had expected it to be. Jinki turns around and sits down again with a sandwich and Kibum reaches over the table to take half of it. 

“We should invite Minwoo and his parents too,” Jinki says through a bite and Kibum raises an eyebrow in question before he realizes that Jinki is talking about Yoojin’s friend. He tilts his head in a question and is about to ask when Jinki elaborates. “You’ve been talking a lot to them when you’ve picked Yoojin up, isn’t it only fair that we consider new friends too?” Jinki’s words have Kibum biting down on his sandwich and he starts thinking again while he eats. Jinki is right, however. Kibum has been talking to Minwoo’s parents the last times he’s picked up Yoojin and he’s sure that Minho knows them better. It’s not Minho’s wedding, however. Kibum shrugs a little and writes them down with a question mark as well. 

They talk back and forth on whether or not to invite co-workers but in the end decide that they know them too well not to. Kibum considers Joohyun a friend and Jinki is close with one of the other chefs at the restaurant. At the end Kibum has 78 guests written down on his paper, a few of them with question marks behind. Jinki looks it over when Kibum pushes the paper towards him and nods in acknowledgment. Now all they have is send out the actual invitations. Jinki stretches in his chair and Kibum sends him a smile. Kibum reaches over to grab Jinki’s hand and they sit in the silent kitchen until the front door opens and they can hear Yoojin talk excitedly to Minwoo. Jinki just sends Kibum a cheeky smile. 

 

Joohyun masks her yawn beside him and Kibum chuckles a little while he looks through the applications. They have decided to hire another veterinarian nurse and although they haven’t gotten a lot of qualified applications for the position, there are still a few they want to interview. 

“Slept bad?” he asks with a smile and Joohyun ignores him in favor of looking through the next application before the applicant is going to step into their small staff room. Changkyun opens the door and gestures to the chair before he sits down in the last left. The woman in front of them is young with medium length black hair and glasses. She twists nervously in her seat before she seems to gather the courage and confidence. Kibum sends her a smile and shakes her hand while he introduces himself. The woman is called Subin and has just finished her studies at Kangwon National University. Kibum is positive she has the skills when she leaves them 25 minutes later but she’s very shy and when he looks at Joohyun and Changkyun he can see the doubt in their eyes. 

They have a total of 5 interviewees and in the end they decide on another woman. Joohyun promises to call her to tell her the good news and Kibum exits the staff room, only to find Eunseo talking to a blond-haired man that raises his eyebrows at Kibum. 

“What are you doing here?” Kibum asks but Eunseo interrupts when she hands the blond man his package in a small bag. 

“I could ask you the same,” Jonghyun says and Kibum widens his eyes. 

“I work here.” Eunseo looks from Kibum to Jonghyun and back to Kibum. 

“Dr. Kim, have you finished the interviews?” she asks and both Jonghyun and Kibum turn to look at her. Kibum nods and hands her the applications that needs to be destroyed. 

“Yes, we did. I think Joohyun is still in the back but I’ll be taking my leave now. Have a good day.” They haven’t had any patients today. Instead they decided to focus solely on the interviews. The small shop has been open, however, and that’s why Eunseo is here as well. Eunseo nods at him and sends him a wide smile and Kibum just reaches out to take Jonghyun’s hand. Jonghyun automatically intertwines their fingers. 

Jonghyun is swinging the small bag next to him as they step onto the pavement. 

“So – why are you here?” Kibum squeezes Jonghyun’s hand while he asks and Jonghyun looks up to get eye contact with him before he shows the small bag a little. 

“Allergy meds for Roo,” he explains and Kibum nods in understanding. “Oh!” Jonghyun exclaims when they’re near the metro station. “I have something I need to tell you.” Jonghyun stops and pulls Kibum to a stop with him. They sit down on a bench next to the metro station when Jonghyun turns to look at him with wide eyes. “I think I’m in love,” he says and Kibum blinks. What? Jonghyun’s eyes sparkle and Kibum feels his heart speed up. Kibum isn’t in love with Jonghyun, however. Sure, he likes Jonghyun and sure, they have the bond but he’s not in love. Not really. Not yet. “Jinki is an amazing man,” Jonghyun continues and time stops. 

“What?” Kibum says, not fully understanding what Jonghyun being in love has to do with Jinki. Jonghyun blushes a little and turns to look at the pavement. Kibum tilts his head. 

“Okay, no, maybe it’s just a crush.” Kibum doesn’t follow. 

“Jonghyun, what are you talking about?” he asks and Jonghyun looks up and gets eye contact with Kibum. They’re looking at each other, Kibum’s heart beating harder than it should in the presence of his fourth soulmate but it doesn’t continue when Jonghyun answers his question. 

“I think I may have a crush on Jinki.” 

Kibum’s heart seems to stop for a second or two before it awkwardly starts again. Kibum blinks a couple of times confused. He doesn’t get it. Jonghyun isn’t Jinki’s soulmate. Jinki is going to marry Kibum. He feels a lump in his throat and the fear rising when he remembers their friendly conversation the first time Jonghyun had visited all of them. It’s irrational but it’s right there and Kibum doesn’t know how to stop it. Jonghyun looks at him with a questioning gaze but Kibum waves his questions away. They have nothing to talk about. 

Kibum doesn’t want to leave rudely like Jonghyun had left him, without warning or promise of seeing each other again, but he doesn’t want to stay either. He feels his skin crawl with worry that Jonghyun is going to steal Jinki from him although it makes little sense. He wishes Jonghyun was female for a short second, at least that would have kept it a onesided crush. Then he considers if they’ll be able to have a polyamorous relationship all of them. At that thought he scares himself into thinking that he and Jonghyun are platonic soulmates and that he’ll be kept out of their budding relationship. 

He can feel the anxiety crawl over his shoulder and breathe into his ear. Kibum can almost see it oozing dark tendrils from the pavement, ready to swallow him whole. He bites his cheek and forces himself to relax. Jonghyun hasn’t done anything bad yet. He has a crush on Jinki. Minho also had a crush on Jinki. Why is this different? Kibum almost wants to curse when he realizes that the only reason he dislikes Jonghyun’s crush on Jinki is because Jonghyun isn’t crushing on him at the same time. With Minho, it had been Kibum’s split feelings that had caused trouble, it had been Kibum who was a fault, Kibum who had two soulmates and fell in love with both of them. This, however, is Kibum’s soulmate falling in love with another of Kibum’s soulmates and not caring remotely for Kibum. 

He gets up from the bench and Jonghyun looks alarmed. 

“I’m sorry,” he says and blinks, trying to hide the worry but Kibum can see it. “I really didn’t mean to upset you.” Kibum doesn’t really hear his apologies, though. 

“We’re getting married,” he says instead, voice monotone. “Jinki is marrying me. He loves me.” Jonghyun is about to ask more questions, raise more doubts and Kibum turns around on his heels and hurries down into the metro station. He is rude. He left exactly the way he didn’t want to. 

The way home in the crowded metro only serves to fill his head with selfish thoughts of staying away from Jonghyun, of not letting them meet again, of forgetting the fourth soulmate. When he steps out of the metro, he’s almost crying, his heart aching with all his doubts. He unlocks the front door and slowly undresses. Kibum can hear Minho and Jinki talking in the living room. 

They both look up when he passes them but Kibum ignores their greetings and continues until he can close the door to the bedroom behind him and sink onto the bed. He doesn’t mean for the first tears to fight their way down his cheeks and he doesn’t wish for the doubt to spill from every pore but he can’t do anything but cry into his pillow. He can smell the intoxicating scent of his soulmates from the pillows and covers around him and it does nothing to ease his doubts. 

Kibum doesn’t hear the door open but he feels the dip in the mattress. Jinki’s soothing voice and the strong hand that reaches out to gently caress his shoulder only has him crumbling in on himself. He doesn’t want to tell Jinki that he’s doubting their marriage, their relationship, their connection because of a new soulmate. Someone he shouldn’t have had. All his multiple soulmates have granted him is an unstable future. 

“Babe,” Jinki whispers into the room and Kibum shakes his shoulder a little to shake him off. He bites his lower lip and lets the tears fall into the pillow when Jinki removes his hand. It takes a few seconds before the covers shift around Kibum and he feels the warm chest pressed against his back when Jinki cuddles closer and wraps his arms around Kibum. It makes Kibum feel oddly small and he’s not sure he likes it, not when his doubts are the reason he’s here to begin with. Jinki doesn’t say anything, however. He just hugs him like they’re the only two people in the world, his breathing steady. Kibum counts the seconds between his inhales and his exhales and slowly starts calming down. When his breathing is synchronized with Jinki’s, Kibum turns around in his arms and forcefully removes the dried tearstains on his cheeks. Jinki sends him a small smile and presses his lips gently and carefully to Kibum’s. 

“What are you thinking?” It’s a whisper between them, not meant to be heard in the room, just loud enough to reach Kibum’s ears. Kibum places his hands on Jinki’s chest and pulls in closer so he can take in Jinki’s scent. He doesn’t know what to say, how to relay his fears to the other man without sounding stupid so instead he says nothing, just buries his face in Jinki’s chest. Jinki strengthens his hold around Kibum. Kibum closes his eyes and drowns in the safe warmth that Jinki is projecting. They’re lying together in silence for another 2 minutes before Kibum slowly pulls away. 

“Do you love me?” he whispers and it’s a stupid question because of course does Jinki love him. Jinki doesn’t know about Jonghyun’s crush, he doesn’t know about Kibum’s irrational jealousy. 

“Yes,” Jinki answers and Kibum feels himself relax a little. It doesn’t fully ease his fears, but it’s easier to stay calm in Jinki’s embrace. Even if Kibum hadn’t wanted Jinki to see him like this, hadn’t wanted to show his insecurities and his fears and doubts like this, he’s grateful that Jinki is here nonetheless to protect him from his own stupid thoughts. “I love you.” Jinki’s words are soft spoken and true and Kibum appreciates them. 

“I love you too.” Kibum wipes at his cheeks again to make sure the tear streaks are truly gone before he presses his lips to Jinki’s. He doesn’t mean for the kiss to turn desperate but he can’t fight his body when it starts aching for Jinki. Jinki lets go after a few seconds and looks Kibum directly in the eye. Kibum swallows visibly.

“Talk to me,” Jinki says and Kibum can hear the small desperation, the small frustration that hides in his voice, evidence from a time when Kibum couldn’t tell him about Minho and clouded by fear that something is wrong. Kibum looks away. 

“I …” he says but he can’t say it. He can’t tell Jinki that Jonghyun has a crush on him. That will only reinforce his fears. Instead he lies. “I just missed you.” Jinki doesn’t take the bait. It’s not unusual for Kibum to miss Jinki when they’re not together for a long period of time but now is not one of those times and Kibum’s voice is too rough from tears, his behavior contradicting his words. 

“Kibum, please.” The begging has Kibum pursing his lips together, hoping to stop himself from crying. 

“It’s …” Kibum takes a deep breath before he continues. “I’m just scared I’ll lose you.” He can see how little sense it makes to Jinki, he can feel his hold loosen and the way Jinki’s forehead frown only makes Kibum regret he ever said anything. Kibum lets his gaze drift from Jinki’s face, onto his chest so he doesn’t have to look Jinki in the eye. The silence is uncomfortable and the body heat between them too hot suddenly. Kibum wants to pull away but Jinki doesn’t let him, his hold tightening against the small effort Kibum makes. 

“Why?” It’s only been a month since Jinki told Kibum why he wanted to marry him, that there isn’t going to be any difference to their relationship or his love. Kibum feels himself getting frustrated with Jonghyun. He wishes he had never known, wishes the other man had never told Kibum of his crush on his fiancé. Kibum shouldn’t have known. He should have been able to forget but he can’t now and Jinki isn’t going to let him go before he knows. Kibum doesn’t say anything and Jinki just keeps looking at him. Kibum can feel his gaze burn at the top of his head. 

“It’s nothing,” Kibum murmurs and Jinki shakes his head as much as he can lying on the bed. 

“No, tell me. We’re getting married, we’re supposed to communicate.” Kibum sighs because he’s right. He just can’t tell Jinki that Jonghyun has a crush on him. It’s not his position to do so. 

“I was just doubting myself and us because of my soulmates. I was scared of being left out, of losing you to one of the others. That my soulmate bond with you would lessen because it was shared between 3 others. It’s nothing but an irrational fear.” He looks up so he can get eye contact with Jinki when he finishes. Jinki is just looking at him. There’s a small fear bubbling up at the silence and Kibum moves to bite his lower lip but he doesn’t get to before Jinki has placed his lips on Kibum’s. Kibum widens his eyes in surprise but reciprocates the kiss nonetheless. When Jinki lets go, he’s smiling. 

“With or without the bond, I love you so much Kim Kibum.” Kibum blushes at Jinki’s words and hits his chest lightly. Jinki doesn’t care when he leans in again to catch Kibum’s lips in a sweet kiss. The tension in the room has eased a little and Kibum feels relieved. When they let go Jinki sends him a small smile. “Stop hiding things from me, okay?” Kibum nods and makes a promise. 

“Okay,” he says. The unspoken promise in the room makes them both feel more at ease. Jinki gently releases Kibum from his hold and when he sits up in the bed he stretches. 

“Don’t hide in here, baby. We need you too,” Jinki says and gets off the bed. Kibum nods and sends him a smile. It feels like an enormous weight has been lifted off his chest and he managed to do so without exposing Jonghyun as well. 

He still wishes Jonghyun had never told him anything and that his heart was racing a little less at the news, but he doesn’t want to doubt Jinki. He doesn’t want to doubt what he has with either of the two men he’s living with, he doesn’t want to doubt what he has with Taeyeon. Kibum doesn’t want to doubt anymore. He fishes his phone from his pocket when it vibrates. Jinki is waiting for him in the doorway but Kibum just waves him away with a gentle gesture. He doesn’t need Jinki to wait for him anymore. The notification on his screen is a text message from none other than Jonghyun. He closes his eyes for a second, prays that Jonghyun isn’t going to be mad at him for running away and when he finally exhales and opens his eyes again, he’s met with the words I’m sorry on the screen. 

Kibum shakes his head a little and lets his fingers hover over his phone. He could call Jonghyun and apologize. He could text him back and say that it doesn’t matter, that it’s okay and he could meet up with the other man and fix this. That is the only real way but Kibum still hovers, still hesitates. He looks out of the bedroom door and hears Yoojin’s screeching laughter before Minho joins in as well and Jinki makes a loud roar that Kibum guesses indicate that he has become the monster instead of Minho. 

Kibum returns his gaze to the phone and sends it a small smile. He should meet up with Jonghyun. Fix this. His heart is beating in a rhythm it hasn’t beaten in for a long time when he texts Jonghyun back and asks if they can meet up tomorrow. He puts in effort into the text message so it doesn’t seem like he’s mad at Jonghyun anymore. He’s not sure he fully succeeds but the effort is there. Kibum leaves his phone on the nightstand when he goes to join Jinki, Minho and Yoojin in the living room. There he finds Jinki on the floor, Yoojin successfully on top of his abdomen and Minho with tears caused by laughter glinting on his cheeks. 

Minho grabs Kibum’s wrist and pulls him towards him and it causes Kibum to stumble and fall onto the couch, his head hitting Minho’s. Both men groan in pain and Yoojin looks up at them and starts laughing at the sight. Jinki just chuckles from the floor. When Kibum turns to look at him the doubt isn’t there and the thoughts that minutes earlier clouded his mind seem to have evaporated into thin air. Kibum is eternally grateful for Jinki but he doesn’t say that out loud. He lets his smile say the words and Jinki’s wink is proof that he understands. 

Yoojin gets off of Jinki and climbs into Kibum’s lap and wraps her hands around him and tells him to protect her from the monsters. That has all of them laughing and Minho reaching out towards them so he can start tickling them. Jinki joins them soon. Laughter is the only thing heard in the house.


	8. LA FIN

Kibum meets with Jonghyun the next day in front of the Han River. They’re sitting on the stairs in front of the floating stage, watching the water slowly pass by. The sun is shining from a blue sky and the heat has caused Kibum to regret his skinny jeans and t-shirt attire. Jonghyun is dressed in a light shirt and a pair of shorts. They’re not looking at each other. Kibum is trying to find the courage to apologize for leaving Jonghyun the day before but he can’t find it. It’s Jonghyun that speaks first. 

“I’m sorry,” he says and Kibum braces himself as he turns to Jonghyun and looks at him. Jonghyun isn’t looking at him. Kibum takes a deep breath and closes his eyes for a short second. 

“You don’t have to be.” There’s a pause before he talks again. “It’s my fault for leaving without reason.” This has Jonghyun turning his head and the two men get eye contact. 

“It wasn’t without reason,” Jonghyun says, voice low and timid and Kibum bites his lower lip as he looks away. 

“It was. It wasn’t fair to leave you like that because of your words. It’s just …” Kibum swallows the lump in his throat and feels his stomach twist uncomfortably at the confession he’s about to make. “I got scared of losing Jinki and he… He means a lot to me.” Jonghyun widens his eyes in understanding and then shakes his head a little. 

“I didn’t mean to...” he says but Kibum interrupts him. 

“I know. It’s not your fault. I was insecure. I figured you would fall in love with me and not my fiancé.” There’s silence between them for a minute or two before Jonghyun suddenly starts chuckling. It starts small, suppressed and hidden by a hand until he can’t keep it in. Kibum just looks at him in confusion. His lips slowly start curling upwards as Jonghyun continues laughing and Kibum doesn’t realize just how easily Jonghyun’s laughter affects him until he, too, starts laughing. 

When they calm down a few minutes later, Jonghyun turns to Kibum with a smile and a glint in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry, it’s a little absurd to think about. I wasn’t expecting to crush on him either,” he says and Kibum reciprocates the smile and nods a little. “I understand why you’re so in love with him, though.” This has butterflies stir in Kibum’s stomach and he bites his lower lip to prevent a small blush. 

“He’s great,” he agrees and Jonghyun starts humming a little. It isn’t until a couple of minutes later before Kibum recognizes the song. He turns wide-eyed to Jonghyun who is looking at the Han-river again. “That song,” Kibum says and Jonghyun stops humming.

“Oh, yeah, I’m sorry, I hum children’s songs a lot, they get stuck really quickly when I work with the kids in the anxiety ward.” Kibum just blinks at this new piece of information. “You okay?” Jonghyun tilts his head as he looks at Kibum and Kibum nods a little. 

“Sure. I’m sorry.” He sends Jonghyun a smile and turns to look at the river before them again. Jonghyun returns to his humming. 

They part an hour later and Kibum feels at ease. The sky is still without a cloud although the wind has picked up a little and it makes it comfortable to walk through the city. There’s plenty of people out on the streets, high school students getting off of school eating ice cream and laughing on their way towards the river park and Kibum sends them a smile. He sees busy men and women hurry from their work and elderly people trying to sell vegetables on the streets. 

He walks through the streets and sees every store open, calling out for attention and customers. He almost gets lured into an Etude House when the saleswoman grabs his elbow and tells him that they have a great sale and that he can make his girlfriend happy. He takes it as a compliment that she deems him too young to be married but has to decline her offer nonetheless because he doesn’t have a girlfriend and he’s convinced Taeyeon wouldn’t be very happy with him gifting her a lot of things. 

He feels his phone vibrate in his pocket and stops in the middle of the pavement, causing an elderly lady to run into him, cursing him as he apologizes profusely. He returns to his phone, only to light up into a smile when he sees the text message from Minho. Kibum isn’t in a hurry to return home, though, and he spends most of the early evening soaking up the atmosphere of the late spring day in the capital he has spent his adult life. 

When he does return home, they’re eating dinner. Jinki sends him a small smile and Minho sends him a wave. Yoojin is too busy to eat to greet him but Kibum doesn’t mind. Minho is talking about wanting to go Jeju so he can take pictures in Hallim Park and Yoojin looks up and begs him to wait until she's on vacation so she can go with him. Kibum is observing his family while father and daughter bicker about her school and he feels his heart swell a little with pride. It’s not complete because he’s missing people but it’s right. It’s like it should be and it’s something he wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. As much as he doesn’t understand his soulmates and why he has 4, he’s grateful for what the two around the table has given him and he’s looking forward to giving to and getting from the two missing. 

Jinki finds him later in the evening in front of the TV, action thriller playing on the screen. 

“Did you talk to Jonghyun?” he asks and Kibum hums his yes. Jinki just nods and gently squeezes his shoulders before he presses a kiss to Kibum’s cheek. “I’m proud of you,” he says and Kibum looks around him to look at Jinki. Jinki doesn’t elaborate, however, and Kibum goes back to watching the movie as a car explodes on the screen. 

 

“Kibum, Kibum, Kibum!” Yoojin says and plops down on the bed, her father’s smartphone in hand. Kibum pulls the blanket closer around him and snuggles into his pillow. He’s the only one in bed, the rest of them has probably been awake for hours, but it’s Saturday and Kibum had had a difficult falling asleep yesterday night. Yoojin just punches the blanket lightly and giggles when he yawns. “Come on Kibum!” she says and hits the blanket again. Kibum turns around in bed so he can look at her. 

“What is it?” he asks, voice hoarse with sleep and she sends him a wide smile and holds the phone close to her chest. 

“Dad said I should ask if I could be … uh … what did he call it?” She tilts her head upwards and places her finger on her chin while she thinks and Kibum just observes her. “Bridesmaid!” she exclaims a few seconds later. Kibum blinks a little. He wasn’t prepared for that question. 

“We … what about flower girl?” he asks instead, not wanting to promise her too much if Jinki doesn’t want bridesmaids. Yoojin turns to look at him. 

“What’s that?” she asks and Kibum yawns before he explains it to her. 

“Can I wear pretty dresses?” she asks when Kibum has finished his explanation and the man nods to her. This has her widening up in a large smile. Then she hands the phone to Kibum. Kibum squints at the screen before a picture of a dress comes into view. “Jinki said I should ask you about clothes because he doesn’t have a fashion sense!” Kibum snorts at that comment but nods his head anyway. He looks at the dress on the screen before he hands the phone to Yoojin again. 

“I’ll be back in a minute,” he tells her while he crawls out of bed and leaves Yoojin on the mattress. She looks at him confused as Kibum finds his slippers and leaves the master bedroom to go to the bathroom. 

When he returns Yoojin has climbed under his blanket and is looking through the phone. Kibum places himself next to her on the bed and looks over her shoulder to see the dress she’s looking at. She notices him and turns the phone towards him with a silent question. The dress on the screen has a silver top and a white skirt of tulle. It’s sparkling with small diamonds on the skirt as well. Kibum tilts his head as he looks at the dress before he turns to Yoojin. 

“Do you like this?” he asks and Yoojin takes the phone back and bites her lower lip. 

“Don’t you?” she asks as a counter-question and Kibum looks back at the dress over her shoulder. It looks like a tiny prom dress. It’s not something he had considered for his wedding and the sparkles are certainly bound to attract attention. He has a hard time imagining Yoojin in this kind of dress so he’s surprised that she has even found it to begin with. She scrolls a little further down the page. Most of the dresses are white, many of them are for much younger children as well. Most of them have tulle skirts. 

They spend an hour in bed looking at flower dresses, pointing out different kind of dresses. Some of them have Yoojin scrunching up her nose and others have her smiling. It’s Minho who interrupts their dress-looking when he opens the door to the bedroom and finds them still in bed, Kibum still dressed in his pajamas.

“Shouldn’t you two get dressed?” he asks and Kibum turns around in the bed so he can look at his soulmate. Yoojin ignores her father. 

“It’s Saturday,” Kibum says and raises an eyebrow and Minho just shakes his head. 

“Yoojin, come on, get dressed.” It’s only then that Yoojin looks up and acknowledges her father. She climbs out of the bed and hurries into her own room. Minho sends Kibum a pointed look before he leaves, closing the door behind them. Kibum just looks towards the door for a few seconds before he, too, gets out of bed and gets dressed. He finds Jinki on the couch, looking through an old notebook with recipes. Jinki doesn’t see him when Kibum places himself beside him, too occupied with scrawling notes to the recipes. Kibum leans over so he can press a kiss to Jinki’s cheek and ask what he’s doing. Jinki looks up slowly with a smile and then points to the book. 

“Fixing old recipes.” Kibum can recognize Jinki’s grandmother’s handwriting on some of them, others are Jinki’s own scribbles. Jinki is too preoccupied with rewriting recipes and adding and removing ingredients to think much of Kibum next to him. Minho finds them in the living room a little later. Yoojin passes them and runs outside and the door slams closed behind her. Minho just sighs and walks towards the kitchen and Kibum gets up so he can follow the man. In the kitchen, he presses close to Minho’s back and Minho lets out a hearty chuckle. 

“What are you doing?” he asks and Kibum presses closer. 

“Convincing you to love me,” he says and Minho just shakes his head fondly before he walks towards the counter so he can get himself a cup of tea. Kibum releases him as he starts heating the water up to give him space to move. They’re sitting at the table, the newspaper in front of Kibum while Minho drinks his tea. 

“How are wedding preparations going?” Minho asks and absentmindedly reaches out to take the newspaper from Kibum as his eyes catch an article. Kibum sighs and looks towards the living room. 

“We have the date and the guest list but that’s pretty much it.” His answer has Minho looking up. 

“You should send the invitations. It’s late May already. You guys need a theme as well and a venue.” Minho’s words have Kibum nodding along. Yes. Yes, they need it all and they’re not very good at planning. 

When Jinki enters the kitchen to get a snack, Kibum gets up from his chair and places a hand on Jinki’s shoulder. The other man looks back to get eye contact with Kibum and Kibum sends him a smile. 

“Minho is telling me about all the things we need for our wedding,” he says and Minho chuckles behind them and shakes his head fondly. Jinki just looks at Kibum, his eyes looking at nothing in particular like always when he’s thinking. 

“Then let’s plan,” he says. Kibum nods. 

 

They sit at the kitchen table after dinner, their laptops open and papers spread on the table. They can hear Fox and the Hound playing in the living room where Minho and Yoojin are having quality time with some candy. Kibum looks at the guest list before he looks up again. They need to find a theme for the wedding and colors before they can go further. He doesn’t get to say anything, however, before Jinki suddenly turns to his laptop with an ‘oh’. 

“I’ve …” he says and takes a deep breath while he writes something on the computer. When he turns it so Kibum can look at the screen, he’s staring at a picture of a wedding hall with darker colors and white flowers on stands, decorating the aisle. At the back is a white curtain as a background for the stage and the tables are spread around the aisle, making the view to both the aisle and the center stage perfect no matter where in the room you’re seated. The name on the page tells Kibum that it’s the Novotel Ambassador Hotel in Gangnam. 

“You have?” he questions and Jinki sends him a small smile. 

“I know you wanted the Shilla Seoul and it’s too expensive but I have rented the Novotel Ambassador Hotel for us. They said we could change the colors for an extra fee if we wanted but …” Kibum blinks at the news. He had no idea. “Please say something,” Jinki says a couple of seconds later. Kibum doesn’t know how to react, however. He’s pleasantly surprised that Jinki has done this for him. It isn’t a cheap venue for a wedding in any way and he’s pleased that Jinki listened when they were looking for venues, even though that had been without reason. He’s filled with love at the thought that the man he’s marrying loves him enough to remember small details like that, details that should seem insignificant but isn’t. 

“It’s perfect,” he whispers a few seconds later as Jinki progressively becomes more and more nervous. Jinki heaves a relieved sigh and Kibum lights up in a smile. “The colors aren’t that bad,” he says. Despite the darker colors of the aisle and the tables, there’s plenty of lighting in the room. Jinki reaches over the table to squeeze Kibum’s hand and Kibum can’t help himself when he leans over the table so he can press his lips to Jinki’s in a passionate kiss. When he pulls away, they’re both a little flushed. He looks towards the papers on the table and chuckles a little. 

“We should…” he says and Jinki nods, but steals a kiss anyway before they turn back to their computers. It’s going to be a summer wedding but it’s not going to be a beach wedding. It’s probably going to rain because it usually rains in August. Kibum widens his eyes as an idea forms in his mind. 

“Babe,” he says and Jinki looks up from his laptop. “Our theme should be rain.” It feels like the right theme. Kibum can’t really imagine another theme. It’s not exactly conventional and it’s not really super romantic either but it feels right. He can almost imagine the light drizzle on August 28 while the two of them get married and the colors of blue, white and silver as they mix into the dark blue of the venue. They don’t even need to pay extra for another color scheme with rain. 

“Rain?” Jinki asks, not as convinced as Kibum feels. Kibum nods but Jinki still isn’t getting it. It has Kibum sighing a little before he grabs a clean paper and writes rain in the middle of it. 

“What colors do you think of when I say rain?” he asks and Jinki looks towards the paper between them. 

“Grey,” he says. “It reminds me of thunderstorms and getting drenched.” Kibum rolls his eyes and instead writes his own color scheme down. Jinki read the colors out loud but Kibum can still see that he isn’t convinced. 

“You have to stop thinking of rain as a depressing thing. Imagine kisses in the rain,” Jinki scrunches up his nose, “ and dates we… Remember when I was 21 and we had a date to Everland and it suddenly started pouring rain? How much we were laughing even though we were drenched. How in love we were. Or remember the summer we went to Daegu to visit my parents a couple of years ago and it was raining non-stop so all the things we had planned outdoors got ruined and we had to spend the vacation indoors because of the rain?” Kibum can see how Jinki starts to remember so he continues. 

“Remember that time you picked me up after my final and it was raining so bad when we arrived home that we spent an hour waiting in the car kissing because neither of us wanted to get drenched before we reached the front step? Or the time you and Joon had been drinking and you were walking home in the rain and got sick the next day?” Kibum hesitates when memories of him drenched and heartbroken interfere with the happy memories. He doesn’t want to say that out loud but it doesn’t seem necessary when Jinki nods and sends him a smile. 

“You’re right,” he says and looks back to the paper. He spends a couple of seconds looking at the paper before he looks up again. “Blue orchids are really pretty.” Kibum blinks at this new piece of information before he writes down orchids on the paper as well. Jinki turns to his laptop and Kibum stares at the paper. Blue orchids in a rain themed wedding. He can almost imagine how beautiful it’s going to be when Jinki turns his laptop back to Kibum and shows him a picture of a bouquet consisting of blue orchids and white lilies. “Doesn’t it look pretty?” he asks and Kibum can only nod. It looks very pretty, the blue and the white contrasting very well. Jinki sends him a wide smile as if he’s proud of himself and Kibum snorts a little before he turns back to his computer. 

They spend a couple of minutes looking through colors and flowers that can fit their simple color scheme of blue, white and silver. Kibum gets the idea to place blue lotus flowers on the tables as the decoration instead of large flower decorations. They can spend the money to get flower decorations up the aisle only and make them extraordinarily pretty. Jinki turns to Kibum and asks if it’s possible to make glass crystals in the form of raindrops and place them on the table as well and Kibum promises to call the venue and ask if it’s possible to get them to hang from the ceiling as well. They’re deep in their planning, creating and eliminating ways to incorporate blue and white into their wedding when Kibum remembers the invitations again. 

“We should find an invitation we like,” he says and Jinki nods before they both start surfing again. There are plenty of different inspirations on the internet but most of them are grand displays and Kibum doesn’t want that. He doesn’t want multiple pages and a lot of information on his invitation. He doesn’t want the invitation cut in a specific way or folded in five different ways that can never be replicated once the invitation has been opened once. Jinki seems to have the same idea when he asks Kibum to join him on his side. Kibum plops down in Jinki’s lap before he takes a look at the computer. On the screen is a picture of a single paper, edges round and on it is a simple writing. He turns around to look at Jinki who just sends him a smile. 

“It’s perfect,” Kibum whispers before he turns back to the computer so he can look at it. This is the design he wants. Simple and beautiful. It doesn’t have to be more. 

“Do you want to make them yourself?” Jinki asks and Kibum thinks for a second until he decides that yes, he wants to make them himself. He can handwrite the cards. They just need to buy the paper. He shifts in Jinki’s lap so he can press his lips to Jinki’s and when he lets go, Jinki looks at him quizzically. 

“I love you,” Kibum says instead of answering the unsaid question and Jinki just leans in to press their lips together again. 

 

 

 _Lee Jinki & Kim Kibum _  
_are delighted to invite you to celebrate their marriage_  
_on Saturday, August 28, 2017 at 12.00 PM_  
_at Novotel Ambassador Hotel, Gangnam-gu, Seoul_  
_followed by dinner and dancing_

 _Répondez,_ _s'il_ _vous_ _plait_

 

Kibum looks at the card and shakes his hand a little. Jinki had insisted that Kibum had written R.S.V.P in full because it was French and while Kibum hadn’t complained for the first 5 invitations he had written, he is starting to regret agreeing to that now. Kibum just hopes that people will understand because the only people they know that speak French are Jinki’s parents. Taemin is eating crackers next to him. 

“I don’t get it,” Taemin says and eats another cracker. Kibum just hands him the invitation so he can put it in the envelope addressed to Kibum’s aunt Yewon. 

“What don’t you get?” he asks and looks up as Taemin puts the invitation in the pile to the left, ready for sending. 

“Why are you handwriting all the invitations?” Kibum steals a cracker from Taemin and shrugs a little. 

“They seem more personal that way, don’t they?” he says and Taemin just grabs his bag of crackers and removes it from Kibum’s range with a glare. Kibum ignores him and grabs the next card before he starts writing the next invitation. 

“You still need to write another 20 and that’s excluding the invitation to me, which I by the way expect anyway,” Taemin says and reaches towards the 9 invitations that are ready to be delivered. Taemin spends time reading and rereading the addresses while Kibum writes the 10th invitation. 

“You were supposed to help me, not discourage me,” Kibum says and Taemin groans and puts the invitations down on the table again in a small pile. The air condition is on, making the 25 degrees outside bearable in the kitchen. They have the house to themselves while Jinki stole Minho and Yoojin so they could go shopping. They had decided late last evening that their suits should generally go with the color black. Kibum knows that he’s going to need a little color but he’ll take that when he has to buy his suit. Taemin sighs when he has no more crackers and places his chin on Kibum’s shoulder, causing Kibum to make a line that shouldn’t be there. He smacks Taemin’s head with the now ruined invitation before he grabs a new blank paper and starts over. Thank God they bought more than 29 cards so he has room to mess up. 

“You should invite Jonghyun over so I have someone to talk to,” Taemin mumbles, his chin moving on Kibum’s shoulder with his words. Kibum ignores him as he writes his name before he puts the pen down and looks towards Taemin. 

“Is my company really that horrible?” he asks and Taemin removes his head from Kibum’s shoulder and shakes his head. 

“No, it’s …” he says and Kibum snorts and returns to his invitation. He knows that Taemin hadn’t been expecting to help with invitations but Kibum needs his help and what else does he have multiple soulmates for? Taemin doesn’t say anymore, just accepts the written invitation when Kibum’s hand him the paper and gently puts it in the envelope addressed to Lee Myungsoo and Pil Sangmi. They work in silence for about 30 minutes until Taemin gets bored again and leans over the table, making sure he isn’t ruffling any paper. Kibum continues writing with a fond smile on his lips as he observes his soulmate in the periphery. 

 

Kibum recognizes the blond hair and the small dachshund puppy so he sends him a small wave. The wave goes unseen as the man is busy talking to the woman beside him. When Kibum nears he finally gains the attention of the other man and Jonghyun smiles and beckons him over. 

“I’ll see you later,” he says to the woman who nods and leans in to give him a hug and get the leash from him. Kibum just looks after her as she leaves them. 

“Who...?” he asks but doesn’t get to finish his question before Jonghyun has already answered. It’s his sister Sodam. The more Kibum looks at her back, the more he realizes how alike the two siblings are and he nods. 

“So where are we going?” Jonghyun asks and Kibum stretches his arms in the arm. It’s a hot day in the middle of June and he has asked Jonghyun to meet him in the park. Kibum wants a day off but he hasn’t told Jonghyun that. He and Jinki have been discussing menus and decorations the past couple of days and Kibum needs a day where he doesn’t have to focus on his job and come home to more preparations. Jonghyun just looks at him curiously. 

“To get ice cream,” Kibum says and grabs Jonghyun’s wrist so he can drag him along. Jonghyun just laughs behind him before he catches up and walks next to Kibum. They get their ice cream and find a shaded spot under a tree. The earth is hard but neither man cares as they eat their ice cream happily. Jonghyun is talking about an artist he discovered a few days ago through a patient and how much he likes the music. Kibum just listens silently and nods at the right places, fascinated with Jonghyun’s fascination. When Jonghyun asks to the wedding, Kibum tells him he doesn’t want to talk about it or else he’s going to go crazy before the actual wedding and Jonghyun laughs and stirs the conversation in a new direction. 

They’re fighting against their melting ice cream 5 minutes later with sticky hands and wide smiles and as Kibum looks over at Jonghyun and notices the strawberry ice cream on his nose he starts laughing. Jonghyun raises a questioning eyebrow but Kibum doesn’t say anything. It isn’t until they’re both finished that Kibum points it out and Jonghyun embarrassed wipes his nose. They get off of the grass to find a toilet where they can wash their hands, Jonghyun pushing Kibum as they joke around on their way to the nearest toilet. Kibum can feel his heart soar, much like it does when he’s with Jinki or Minho and he’s comfortable in the way he is with Taeyeon. As he lets the water run over his fingers and he gets eye contact with his reflection there’s no doubt. He’s falling in love with Jonghyun as well. The only problem with that is that Jonghyun is in love with Jinki and not with Kibum. 

He sighs and then gets a surprise when Jonghyun peeps inside and spots him at the sink and grins at him. Kibum flicks some water in Jonghyun’s direction before he dries his hands and steps outside. Jonghyun links their elbows and pulls him towards one of the outdoors fitness areas. Kibum just raises an eyebrow. 

“You don’t want to do exercise now, right?” he asks incredulously. Jonghyun just laughs and places himself on one of the benches, but he doesn’t start doing anything, just lays there. 

“Of course not,” Jonghyun says and then points towards the bridge above them. “But the bridge brings shadow.” Kibum facepalms but places himself next to Jonghyun under the bridge anyway. They continue their talk into late afternoon when Jonghyun’s phone reminds him that he has a dinner deal with his sister. As he wraps his arms around Kibum in a quick embrace, Kibum feels his heart speed up and he curses under his breath as he watches Jonghyun leave him in the park. 

Kibum spends the way home contemplating what to do with his emotions for the blonde man. 

 

“You look tired,” Minho says and Kibum plops down next to him on the couch and leans into his warm embrace. 

“I am,” he admits and Minho gently lets his hands up and down Kibum’s hip in a comforting manner. 

“Wedding plans?” Minho asks and Kibum shakes his head as best as he can without removing it from Minho’s shoulder. The motion of Minho’s hand on his hip is so soft that it has him closing his eyes. 

“No, it’s …” Kibum hesitates for a second before he just decides that there’s no reason to have secrets in the household anymore. Jinki and Minho both know that he’s in love with both of them, what difference would it make if there was one more. “I think I’m in love with Jonghyun. But Jonghyun is in love with Jinki.” Minho stops his movement and Kibum remembers that he hasn’t told Minho about Jonghyun’s crush on Jinki. He sighs a little. “Jinki knows. It’s just … I don’t know, I don’t even want to know.” Kibum’s words are mumbles and Minho just resumes the comforting movement up and down his side. 

Kibum is close to sleeping when a ring tone cuts through the silence and disturbs them both. Minho leaves him on the couch and Kibum sighs a little as he rubs his eyes. He shouldn’t be sleeping now anyway, it’s too early in the evening for that but he still can’t help how tired he is. As Minho continues talking on the phone in the kitchen, Kibum decides that he’ll go to be anyway. 

He’s buttoning his pajamas shirt when Jinki opens the door to the bedroom and finds him. 

“Going to bed already?” he asks and Kibum nods a little and makes sure the air condition is turned on before he climbs into bed. Jinki leans closer and then presses his lips to Kibum’s forehead in a kiss. “Sleep tight,” he says before he closes the door again. Kibum curls up into his blankets and buries his head in the pillows that smell a little bit of all three of them, but he can’t sleep. His thoughts keep returning to Jonghyun’s soft eyes and his melodic voice. 

Kibum doesn’t want to think of Jonghyun. He wants to think of Jinki and Minho and Taeyeon and everything he’s supposed to be planning before the best day of his life. He wants to think of details and imagine things he can do with Yoojin. He wants to remember memories and laughter that doesn’t include Jonghyun because Jonghyun is making him feel vulnerable and fragile and Kibum doesn’t like feeling vulnerable and fragile. He sighs and turns around to find a more comfortable position and wills his thoughts away from Jonghyun only to end up with the blonde man again. 

Kibum lies awake for what feels like hours. He closes his eyes when Jinki joins him in the bed and pretends to be asleep so he doesn’t have to answer any questions. Jinki falls asleep quickly and Kibum opens his eyes so he can turn around and look at his fiancé. He smiles a little and gently traces Jinki’s jawline before he lets his hand onto the blankets again. Jinki snuggles closer to his pillow in his sleep and Kibum feels his heart swell. Then he imagines Jonghyun behind Jinki, snuggled into Jinki’s back, arms over his waist and he cuddles closer to the older man, jealousy hard to swallow. It’s not fair that Kibum is so jealous when he wanted Jinki to understand his situation. He sighs a little and closes his eyes again before he inhales deeply. Jinki’s scent is calming and Kibum swallows the jealousy in his throat before he exhales again. 

Minho enters the bedroom a couple of minutes later and climbs into bed and Kibum squeezes his eyes shut and hopes that the other man doesn’t notice that he is still awake. With both of his soulmates sleeping next to him, nestled in between them and the comfort they provide, Kibum stares into the ceiling and still sees blond hair and soft eyes and he sighs. This is not at all what he wanted. 

 

“Hey Jonghyun,” Jinki says and pours himself a cup of coffee. Kibum takes a step closer to his fiancé unconsciously and Jinki just shakes his head slightly. Jonghyun blushes a light pink and Kibum bites his lower lip, both in infatuation and jealousy and it’s bad. Minho enters the kitchen next and reaches into the cupboard to grab a cup as well. Yoojin is still sleeping. Jonghyun is standing in the doorway as he watches the abnormal family of four that resides in the house. Kibum sighs a little before he reaches out towards Jonghyun and pulls him into the kitchen. They need to talk about this. 

“Could you leave us alone, babe?” Kibum asks into the room and both Minho and Jinki turn towards them before they shrug, links their hands and leaves the kitchen. Minho closes the door behind him and Kibum spins once before he turns to Jonghyun. 

“I love you,” he says in a rush and Jonghyun widens his eyes comically. “I…” Jonghyun says but Kibum interrupts him. “I know you’re in love with Jinki and I know that it’s ridiculous that I’m jealous because I told you just a few days ago that I feared losing him and I do but I’m also in love with you and it drives me crazy that you’re my soulmate but in love with my fiancé and not me.” Kibum is no longer looking at Jonghyun and he’s biting his lower lip. His heart is racing and it’s not in a good way. There’s silent between them. 

“I don’t know what to say,” Jonghyun whispers and Kibum wants to leave. He knows Jonghyun doesn’t love him, he can hear it in his words. He doesn’t want to hear Jonghyun’s rejection though so he just nods a little. 

“It’s … I’m sorry,” Kibum apologizes and Jonghyun shakes his head a little. 

“Maybe I should go,” he says. Kibum looks up when he hears the door open and he sees Jonghyun’s back slip past. 

He’s biting back tears and trying hard not to bash his head against the counter or throw the glass of juice onto the floor. He feels his heart tear in two, a small part that belongs to Jonghyun separating from the rest of it. Jonghyun doesn’t love Kibum. They may be soulmates but Kibum ruined everything. He ruins everything, the only reason he’s here is because Jinki and Minho knew how to patch him up every time he did something stupid. Instead of hurting himself or breaking glass he sinks to the floor and hides his face in his hands as he cries silently. He almost wishes Jinki or Minho would find him and question why he’s crying and why Jonghyun has left but at the same time, he doesn’t want any of them to know just how much he messed up. It isn’t Jinki or Minho that finds him, however. It’s Yoojin when she yawning enters the kitchen in her blue silk pajamas. 

“Kibum?” she asks and Kibum takes a deep breath and sends her a shaky smile. “Dad!” she yells throughout the house and Minho enters the kitchen few minutes later. He pours Yoojin a glass of juice and promises her that Jinki will help her put on Mulan before he sends her into the living room. Then he closes the door and sinks down so he’s in front of Kibum. Kibum only peeks at him before he hides again. 

“Hey,” Minho says softly and Kibum sniffles. This is embarrassing. Minho gently removes Kibum’s hands from his face and sends him a small smile. “Need a hug?” he asks and Kibum nods a little before he scrambles from his position and into Minho’s lap. Minho wraps his arms around him and gently hugs him. Kibum hates feeling vulnerable but in Minho’s lap he feels safe and he starts to calm down. Minho doesn’t ask questions and Kibum is thankful for that. Instead, he wipes his tears and kisses his forehead and tells him that everything will be okay. Kibum doesn’t believe him but he doesn’t tell Minho that. 

 

Joohyun raises an eyebrow when Kibum walks into the clinic the following Monday with dark bags under his eyes. He waves her questions away and she doesn’t say any more. Eunseo points discreetly to her own eyes as if trying to tell him that he looks like he’s had no sleep and Kibum appreciates her subtlety, even if there is nothing he can do. The new veterinarian nurse Yuri bites her lower lip and does her best to ignore how tired Kibum looks. Changkyun isn’t as subtle as his female co-workers and Kibum just shakes his head at his question. He doesn’t want to talk about it. It’s not that he hasn’t slept, he just hasn’t slept very well. 

The day is busy and they get a poisoned cat before lunch and a dog with a heat stroke right after lunch. Changkyun is busy with a parrot that was in surgery in the morning and has to call for assistance more in between regular visits. Yuri is still learning but is taking care of all the neutralized animals. Eunseo is on the phone constantly in the shop and Kibum barely has time to peak out of his office unless it’s to call another animal from the waiting area. He’s surprised to find a small dachshund puppy on his table an hour before he’s off. The small dog wags her tail and licks his hand as he greets her. The woman on the other side is holding onto the puppy so it doesn’t topple off of the table. Kibum sends her a professional smile but is stuck by how much she looks like her younger brother and it unsettles him a little. 

“I’m sorry,” he apologizes and shakes his head a little before he greets the dog again and starts looking her over. He’s asking questions about her daily routine and if the woman has noticed anything off but there is nothing. As he finds the vaccine the woman asks him if he knows her younger brother and Kibum nods. 

“Yes, I know him.” Kibum vaccinates the dog and pets her behind her ears and the puppy yips at him happily. The woman laughs a little before she greets him goodbye. 

When he leaves his doctors coat in the laundry basket he can’t help but think of how much this meeting is like the time Taemin stepped into the clinic with Eve. He sighs a little as he says goodbye to his co-workers and when he steps onto the pavement he stretches his arms above him. Kibum meets Taemin near the climbing hall, the other man on his way to work. Taemin stops him with a laugh and tells him he looks horrible. Kibum just shrugs and scolds Taemin for being so straightforward but they both know he doesn’t mean it. Taemin promises to come over tomorrow and gives him a hug before he hurries off. 

Kibum stands on the street, watching Taemin’s back disappear into people in the direction of the climbing hall. He can’t help himself when he thinks how lucky Taemin is without love in his life. Without the struggle of multiple soulmates and complicated feelings. Then he shakes his head because he wouldn’t want to change his feelings for anything in the world. Kibum just wishes they would be less complicated. 

Yoojin is throwing a fit when he opens the front door and finds Jinki distressed with the young girl in the living room. Jinki is trying his best but Yoojin isn’t forgiving him for washing her favorite pair of white jeans with a red sock and she doesn’t appreciate the pale pink color they have now. She’s glaring at him and Jinki takes a step back, only to hit Kibum and Kibum looks at them questioningly. Yoojin takes it that he’ll be on her side and immediately steps closer to him to complain about the damage Jinki has done with her precious laundry. 

Kibum has to school his expression into a serious one as he humors Yoojin and her unhappiness. Underneath the serious expression is a smirk, however, because it isn’t the first time that Jinki has messed up laundry one way or another. Kibum promises to buy her a new pair of white jeans and she sends Jinki a last stern glare before she stomps off to her room. Kibum bursts into laughter as soon as her door slams. Jinki looks intimidated towards the hallway before he frowns at Kibum. Kibum just presses his lips tight together so can suppress the laughter. 

“You should leave the laundry to Minho and me,” Kibum whispers when he calms and Jinki lowers his gaze in shame. Kibum kisses him softly before he leaves Jinki in the living room as he goes to find Yoojin and make sure she really has calmed down. 

Minho barks out a loud laugh when Kibum tells him while they’re brushing their teeth in the evening before bed. Jinki is never going to live it down. 

 

Kibum doesn’t want to talk to Jonghyun, but he can’t avoid it when Jonghyun is suddenly standing in the doorway to the bedroom. Kibum glares at Minho in the doorway but Minho doesn’t notice when he closes the door again. 

“We need to talk,” Jonghyun says and Kibum frowns and sits down on the bed. He doesn’t invite Jonghyun to sit with him. There is only so much heartache Kibum can take and although it worked out in his favor with Minho and although Taeyeon took back her venomous words, he isn’t sure he really wants to know what it is Jonghyun has to say. The blond-haired man is still making Kibum’s heart beat faster and it shouldn’t. Kibum doesn’t want to be in love with Jonghyun. Right now he doesn’t want Jonghyun to be a part of his life. 

Jonghyun gestures to the bed and silently asks if he can sit and Kibum ignores him. It feels satisfactory for some reason to ignore the other man completely, even if it shouldn’t. Jonghyun sits down anyway and the silence is tense in the room. Kibum counts the seconds before Jonghyun talks again. “I’m sorry I fell in love with Jinki,” he says and Kibum turns to glare at him. Enough with the ignoring. They have talked about this. Kibum doesn’t really fault Jonghyun for falling in love with Jinki because Jinki is just that good of a person, but he does fault Jonghyun for not loving him. They have been spending far more time together than Jinki and Jonghyun have, so it’s only fair that Jonghyun loves him, not Jinki. Never mind the fact that they’re soulmates. Kibum knows that they’re not platonic soulmates either because he knows what that feels like and he is not supposed to fall in love with a platonic soulmate. He’s also fairly sure that Jonghyun isn’t aromantic because if that was the case, Jonghyun wouldn’t have fallen in love with Jinki. 

“I…” he says and Kibum interrupts him. 

“What? Are you about to tell me that you’re in love with Minho too? Or maybe you fell for Tae? Maybe you just love everybody but me, is that it?” Kibum’s voice is loud and angry and his chest is heaving with the words. He shouldn’t have said that. He knows that because the look on Jonghyun’s face is shocked. Then it falls and Kibum’s chest squeezes together. “Oh for crying out loud! As if it’s not bad enough that you’re in love with Jinki. But you know what the worst part is?” Jonghyun looks up, eyes guilty. Kibum ignores him. “It’s that I can’t just ask you to fuck out of my life and stay away because we’re fucking soulmates and I’ve tried that shit with all of them -” Kibum gestures towards the door as if to indicate Minho and Taeyeon,”- and it fucking hurts to stay apart. I never fucking asked for any of this…” 

“Kibum,” Jonghyun interrupts in a low voice but Kibum isn’t having any of it. His thoughts are let loose and he can’t stop now. 

“No, fuck you. My life was perfect with Jinki, we were happy and then you all come waltzing into my life as if it’s the greatest blessing a man has ever gotten and you know what? It’s absolute bullshit. I never wanted you in my life! You do nothing but ruin my life over and over again. I can’t believe I was the victim of all this fucking shit! Yes, the victim because you have …” 

“Kibum!” Jonghyun says and clamps his hand over Kibum’s mouth, effectively shutting him up. “Shut up.” Kibum considers licking his palm for a split second before he decides that he’s better than that. Jonghyun removes his hand a few seconds later. Kibum is still glaring at him although his anger is slowly dissipating. He hadn’t meant to say any of it and he regrets it as soon as his mind starts filtering through his earlier rant. He hopes dearly that Minho and Jinki isn’t on the other side, listening in on their conversation, so he strains his ears but can’t hear anything other than his own heavy breathing. 

“You don’t mean all that,” Jonghyun says and Kibum frowns. Jonghyun doesn’t know anything. The smile he sends Kibum is small and it both sends butterflies to Kibum’s stomach and fire through his veins. “You really need to listen for a moment, okay?” Kibum contemplates but then decides that whatever, he can always tune the other man out if Jonghyun doesn’t say anything of quality. It’s a nod that’s barely there but Jonghyun sees it anyway and sighs relieved. “It’s true that I fell in love with Jinki because we have so many interests in common and he’s a kind man. Minho is an admirable father and Yoojin is a beautiful daughter.” Kibum frowns and turns away from Jonghyun so he doesn’t have to look at him. He ignores the hand that Jonghyun places on his shoulder but the touch burns under his t-shirt. “But it hurts that you’re mad at me.” Kibum scoffs. “I talked to my sister a couple of evenings ago and told her about you. I mean, she knew about you but … not how I messed it up. She told me some things that had me thinking.” Kibum wants to tune out at this point in their conversation but his curiosity is preventing him. “Anyway, the conclusion may be that I …” Kibum’s heart speed up and he hates himself for it. He gets off the bed, Jonghyun’s hand falling limp on the blankets. The two men look at each other. The tension in the room is killing him. Kibum is waiting for the continuation of the sentence but Jonghyun stays silent. 

“You’re driving me crazy,” Kibum mutters before he takes a step closer to Jonghyun so he can grab his nape and press his lips to Jonghyun’s. It takes a few seconds before Kibum realizes what he’s doing and when he tries to pull away there’s a strong grip holding him in place. Jonghyun has his eyes closed and he’s leaning into the kiss, trying to coax Kibum into a deeper kiss. It doesn’t take long before Kibum closes his eyes again and presses closer, their lips pressing against each other in an aggressive fashion. It reminds him a little of his confession to Minho except this is far more aggressive. Jonghyun lets his hands roam over Kibum’s chest and bites into his lower lip, trying to deepen the kiss. Kibum feels lightheaded and has to pull away. Then he realizes that he just kissed Jonghyun and this is going too fast for him to comprehend. 

“Wait,” he says and looks at Jonghyun. Jonghyun looks flushed and leans in again, but Kibum pulls back and avoids his lips. “What’s going on?” he asks and Jonghyun raises an eyebrow at his question. 

“Are you really that dense?” Jonghyun has a glint in his eyes and Kibum is offended by the implication that he’s dense but this is more complicated and he can’t make sense of it. 

“Why are we kissing?” Kibum asks and Jonghyun sighs a little, hands still on Kibum’s chest. Kibum is still letting his fingers through the hair at Jonghyun’s nape and they’re still close, Kibum standing in between Jonghyun’s legs while Jonghyun sits on the couch. 

“Because we are in love with each other?” Jonghyun says and makes it sound like a question. Kibum blinks confused. They are? 

“We are?” he asks and Jonghyun’s laughter only has the butterflies in his stomach multiplying. 

“That’s what I’m trying to say. I’m in love with you. It came as quite a shock to me because I never considered it but God, Kibum, how can I not be?” Jonghyun sends him a smile. Kibum looks down at him and blinks a little in confusion. He’s not sure he gets it. Minutes ago, he had been telling Jonghyun how he didn’t want him in his life and now they’re kissing as if their lives depend on it. Kibum is in love with Jonghyun and he knows it but how did Jonghyun change his mind so quickly. He rejected him when Kibum confessed. This makes no sense. Jonghyun reaches out towards him when Kibum pulls away and runs a hand through his hair. 

“Are you serious?” Kibum asks and Jonghyun nods. 

“Yes.” There’s silent in the room for the third time before Kibum takes a step forward again and connects their lips in another aggressive kiss. Jonghyun responds immediately and pulls Kibum towards him. Kibum gently guides Jonghyun down on the bed as he crawls over him to keep their lips connected. Jonghyun is clinging to Kibum’s back and Kibum forgets their earlier argument as they kiss. The door opens behind them and Jinki snorts a little. 

“Oh, I see,” he says before he calls out to Minho. Kibum scrambles off of Jonghyun and looks towards Jinki, cheeks a dusty pink. Jonghyun’s cheeks match Kibum’s but Kibum is sure it’s not because they’ve just been caught kissing. When Minho joins them Jinki sends him a smirk. “It worked,” he says and reaches a hand out to Minho who groans and looks at Kibum and Jonghyun. Kibum is looking at them confused until he realizes what’s going on. He can’t believe they bet on whether or not Jonghyun and he would make up. 

“Fuck you,” he says and punches both Jinki and Minho on the shoulders as he leaves the bedroom to find Yoojin and ask if she wants to go out for dinner without her father. Yoojin agrees when Kibum proposes fast food and Minho complains but neither Kibum nor Yoojin care as they leave the house. 

 

Kibum wakes up an hour earlier than his alarm. He stares into the ceiling but he’s too nervous to stay still so he gets up. He walks aimlessly around in the hotel room before he decides he might as well start getting ready. He showers and spends longer than he would normally in the bathroom, putting on body lotion and making sure his skin is as flawless as possible. He spends 5 minutes in front of the mirror looking at his face, trying to determine whether or not he’s bloated but concludes in the end that he can’t do much to change it now anyway. 

When the clock strikes 7 he puts on a pair of slacks and a t-shirt before he hurries down to the breakfast buffet. He’s the first one there, the waiters still putting some of the food onto the buffet table but Kibum is ready. The more he looks at the food, though, the less he feels hungry. He feels his stomach churn with nervousness and ends up eating a small yoghurt and a small sandwich before he simply cannot stomach any more food. 

Back in his room he stares at the crisp suit that hangs on its hanger. Today is the day. Today is the day he’s marrying Jinki. He wishes he was with Jinki but traditions are traditions and he’s not supposed to see how his groom is going to look before the ceremony. He doesn’t really want Jinki to look at him before they walk up the aisle together either. Nicole is going to come help him with everything and Taemin has insisted in a text message last night that if he’s female today he’s going to stop by the hotel as well. Kibum isn’t really hoping too much because Taemin has been male for a majority of the last month with only fleeting moments of femininity. The knock on his door has him starting and he hurries to open it, Nicole smiling.

“Good morning,” she says as she steps inside and pats Kibum’s shoulder. She’s carrying a large dress bag and a duffel bag over her shoulder which she places on the bed before she looks around. “Your suit?” she asks and points towards the tailored black suit. Kibum nods and swallows a lump in his throat. The nervousness becomes excitement as they chat over his hair. Kibum has almost forgotten Taemin’s promise when someone knocks on the door again. Nicole raises an eyebrow in question and Kibum goes to open. Taeyeon is standing on the other side in a tracking suit with a dress bag in her hands. 

“Yeon, Taeyeon,” she says before Kibum can ask and he just reaches out to embrace her. When he lets go he notices how she’s staring at Nicole and he realizes he hasn’t introduced the two to each other. Taeyeon wraps an arm around herself and looks at the floor. It looks uncomfortable. 

“Are you…?” he asks but gets interrupted by Nicole who wants him back in front of the mirror so she can continue fixing his hair. Kibum just ignores her. Taeyeon looks up and sends him a smile. 

“Yes, I’m fine.” She doesn’t sound fully convinced herself but Kibum doesn’t ask. She places her stuff on the hotel bed as well and Kibum saunters back to Nicole who grabs her flat iron so she can style his hair. Taeyeon enters the bathroom with a flower crown in a deep blue orchid color. “I bought this to Yoojin but I forgot to give it to Minho. Do you think you can give it to her before you walk up the aisle?” she asks and hands it to Kibum. Kibum sends her a wide smile and feels happier than he ever has. It overshadows his nervousness for a few minutes as he nods and Nicole hits his shoulder so he doesn’t continue moving. 

They continue with make-up and Nicole takes a shower as well so she can start styling her hair. Kibum stares at his suit. He’s still 2 hours early and wearing it now will only strengthen his nerves but he has nothing to do. Taeyeon taps his shoulder gently and sends him a small smile. 

“Wanna style my hair?” she asks and Kibum widens his eyes. 

“But you look beautiful with it just hanging,” he says truthfully and Taeyeon scoffs and twirls a lock on her finger. It’s the most feminine Kibum has ever seen her act and it’s a little strange if he has to be honest. He doesn’t tell her, however, because it’s not important and he’s sure she’s a little nervous too. She told him yesterday evening in a text that she hasn’t attended a wedding ever and it’s making her slightly nervous. She’s scared she’ll mess up somehow. Kibum has tried the best he can to assure her that there’s nothing she can do to mess up but she still looks nervous. 

“I can’t go to a wedding with my hair down,” she says and Kibum just sends her a smile and grabs her hand so he can pull her with him towards the large mirror in the hotel room. 

“You should have asked Nicole,” he says as he lets a hand run through her hair. Taeyeon doesn’t say anything and Kibum decides he doesn’t have to say more about Nicole. He gently braids her hair in a small braid on each side and then connects them in the back. It’s simple but the purple color of Taeyeon’s hair is breathtaking enough, she doesn’t need an extravagant hairstyle. 

“I’m nervous,” he admits when he lets go of her hair and Taeyeon turns around. 

“It’ll be fine, Kibum!” she says and she sounds very certain and it makes Kibum take a deep breath. Maybe she’s right. No, not maybe. She is right. It will be fine. He sends her a grateful smile and nods a little. 

An hour later he’s looking at his suit. Taeyeon and Nicole are getting dressed in the bathroom. He lets his hand run over the black fabric of the jacket. The blue silk vest underneath is contrasting gently with the black. It’s not a big contrast but it’s enough to create color. On the bed lies his cufflinks, ready to spice up the white shirt. The shirt has a butterfly in the corner of the collar and he smiles as he looks at it. His silk tie is still in its box, the same is his dress shoes. Kibum takes a deep breath before he starts undressing. He takes on the shirt first and slowly buttons it, his heart beating with excitement with every button that he buttons. The pants next. 

He is looking in the mirror 15 minutes later, trying to tie his tie so it looks amazing. Taeyeon clicks her tongue behind him. Her dress is a pale pink that contrasts with her hair. It’s cut mid-thigh but has a lot of tulle strips that reaches floor level which makes it seem long. She smiles sheepishly. 

“Need help with that?” she asks and Kibum fumbles a little with the ends of his tie. He’s usually good at tying ties but today his hands are fumbling and he nods a little and lets Taeyeon’s nimble hands fix it for him. She pats his chest when she’s finished and sends him a smile. “You look good, Jinki is probably going to cry when he sees you.” Kibum snorts at that. 

“Trust me, if you want to bet on one of us crying, you should bet on me,” he says and she laughs. Nicole enters the room a little later. Her dress is made of mulberry colored satin with an asymmetrical skirt. Her hair is put into a bun. She sends him a wide smile before she rummages through her bag. Kibum purses his lips so he doesn’t start laughing when she sighs and calls her husband. Taeyeon looks at her confused but then decides it’s none of her business. Kibum turns towards Taeyeon again. There’s a comfortable silence in the hotel room but Kibum can slowly feel his nerves and where they earlier had been exciting they’re starting to get unbearable. 

Time ticks faster and faster and Kibum suddenly feels like everything is wrong. He still needs to do so much before they’re getting married. He can’t possibly be ready now. Taeyeon seems to notice his nerves and grabs his hand and squeezes lightly. Kibum turns around her. 

“You look good. Enjoy it.” Kibum nods a little and swallows a lump in his throat before he lets Taeyeon drag him to the mirror so he can look himself over one more time. He looks flawless in his black suit, the deep blue of the vest and the tie playing beautifully against the white shirt and the butterfly is a small but cute detail. The cufflinks that are the same blue color as the vest finishes the look. His make-up is light, making sure his skin looks flawless and his hair is parted 2/8, the way it highlights his facial features best. Nicole grabs his other hand and leans closer to him. 

“Look at you,” she says and then sends the mirror a smile. Kibum closes his eyes before he turns to look at both women next to him. 

“Let’s go,” he says. “I can’t stay in the room anymore, it’s driving me crazy.” Nicole and Taeyeon laugh in unison. They leave a couple of minutes later. 

Kibum is walking from one end of the room to the other. It’s a small room next to the big room where they’ll hold the wedding. Minho and Yoojin are waiting there already. Minho is fixing the headband on Yoojin, the blue floor length dress with lace on top makes her look beautiful. Kibum has already complimented her 5 times and Yoojin has been fidgeting for the last two. Minho puts his hands on Kibum’s shoulders before he leaves them alone in the small room. Kibum leans closer for a kiss but Minho pulls away and shakes his head with a smile. Kibum taps his foot nervously on the tile floor and Minho goes to Yoojin so he can press a kiss to her cheek and hug her. 

“I’ll see you,” he says before he leaves. Yoojin looks up and sends him a smile and Kibum almost feels like crying. He startles when the door opens behind him and spins around and what he’s met with is everything he is not prepared to look at. There stands Jinki, dressed in a black and white suit with his hair styled. He’s got a small bowtie around his neck. It’s simple but Jinki has always shined in simple clothing and Kibum feels stunned into silence. Jinki smiles a little. Yoojin clears her throat and brings the attention back to her. 

“Kibum, it keeps falling out,” she says and holds onto the flower crown so it doesn’t slide off her head. Kibum pulls his eyes from Jinki and focuses purely on Yoojin while he helps fasten the flower crown so it isn’t in danger of falling when she walks down the aisle in front of them. Kibum can hear Jinki sitting on the bench and his heart is beating so fast in his chest it should seem dangerous. They don’t talk to each other while they wait the 5 minutes before the piano sounds and the door is opened. 

In the large room are their families and friends gathered to witness them finally tie the knot. Yoojin grabs their hands and brings them together before she exits the room with her small bouquet. Jinki sends Kibum a small smile and Kibum wants to run away with Jinki and just ditch the formal ceremony. On the other hand, he also wants this. He nods reassuring to Jinki before they step out of the room. Jinki grabs Kibum’s elbow and Kibum shakes him off so he can take his hand and link their fingers. 

They step onto the aisle just as the music flows into the bridal waltz and they walk up the aisle, hand in hand. Kibum feels his heart burst out of his chest metaphorically when they stand in front of the priest and he glances at Jinki only to get eye contact with the other. The priest starts with the opening and Kibum tries his best to listen but he keeps glancing at Jinki. 

When Joon brings out the wedding rings for the priest so he can bless them Kibum notices that there’s something engraved into their engagement rings, something that wasn’t there before. He can’t read it, however. The priest opens up for the exchange of vows and Jinki turns towards Kibum. Kibum is pursing his lips already when Jinki finds a small paper from his pocket. He knows already that he’s going to cry before the ceremony is over and he’ll have to sob through his own vows and it’s going to be super embarrassing but he can’t stop Jinki now. Jinki tries to catch Kibum’s gaze and Kibum tries to avoid for a split second but has to admit defeat and locks gazes with Jinki. 

“Kibum,” Jinki says. “You have led me through life and taught me what happiness is. I promise to stay by your side, to learn and to teach you. I promise to understand and I promise to talk. I promise to be there when everybody else isn't. I promise to love you forever. I love you.” Kibum isn’t crying when Jinki finishes but he has a lump in his throat that will make it difficult to talk. He is forever grateful that Jinki has created his vows thinking of Kibum and that he’s not already crying. He doesn’t want to cry on his wedding day but it’s likely going to happen anyway. He fumbles with his own vows in his pocket before he decides that fuck that, he’ll promise Jinki what he feels right now. 

“I promise to walk beside you forever when life is rough for you have always been there for me. I promise to understand for you have always understood, even when I said nothing. I promise to steal your coffee for the mornings to come because habits die hard.” Jinki smiles wide at that. “I promise to love your cooking because you’re the best chef in the world. I promise …” Kibum chokes up and has to look down at the floor and blink excessively to hold the tears in. When he looks up again he can see that Jinki is choked up as well. There are so many things he wants to say, so many things he wants to promise but he doesn’t want to say everything to everybody else as well. Those are words for Jinki’s ears only. “I promise to love you with everything I have because there is no one I can love as much as I love you.” Jinki reaches out to grab his hand and he lets the ring onto Kibum’s finger with slightly shaking hands. Kibum stares at the golden band adoring his ring finger before he reaches out towards the ring on the velvety pillow in the box. He reads the word shit as he slides it on Jinki’s finger and purses his lips. 

They’re holding hands while the priest pronounces them husband and husband and when he finally allows them to seal their marriage with a kiss Kibum is the first to lean closer to Jinki so he can kiss him gently. The kiss is sweet and long but nothing more than a press of lips. It’s delicate and secret despite being in front of about 80 people. 

When they let go of each other Kibum hears his grandmother cry and he wants to laugh. He feels like he’s soaring as they walk down the aisle, hand in Jinki’s and fingers linked. Kibum is wrapped into a hug by his aunt Yewon and her 5-year-old son Hyungwon is clapping excitedly. Kibum laughs a little when he lets go of her and Jinki is snatched away by his mother who seems like she’s crying into his shoulder. Kibum goes to find his own parents and gets swapped into a hug before his grandmother demands his attention. When he notices how she’s shedding tears and stubbornly removing them again, he laughs and wraps his arms around her. 

“I’m not crying,” the elderly woman says stubbornly and Kibum laughs more. A couple of waiters arrange for the wedding cake on the main stage where the ceremony had taken place and Yoojin is up there at a flash looking at the 6-tiered white cake with blue orchids wrapped around it. Hyungwon and Minwoo join her a minute later, eyes wide. Kibum catches Hyungwon reach out to grab a blue macaron and he chuckles. He finds Jinki with Yonghwa and his 3-year-old twins. 

“Let’s cut the cake, baby,” Kibum says as he grabs Jinki’s hand. He nods a greeting to Yonghwa who looks at his boys at the mention of cake. Jinki chuckles a little and nods before he guides Kibum towards the center stage. He grabs the mic and thanks everyone for coming. He lets everybody know that his uncle Myungsoo is compere and that he’ll announce what’s going to happen for the rest of the afternoon and evening. He then quickly announces that they’re cutting the cake. Then he grabs the knife and Kibum lets his hand cover Jinki’s. 

They cut through the bottom layer and Kibum laughs as they balances the piece onto a plate and it crumbles for them. Jinki just chuckles and grabs a tiny fork so he can feed Kibum. The tastes explode in his mouth as he chews and swallows and he teases Jinki by withholding the first bite for him for a few seconds until he lets his husband get a taste of their cake. Jinki leans in to kiss Kibum with his mouth full of cake and Kibum laughs out loud again as he avoids and hides behind Soyou who rolls her eyes. 

He finds his soulmates 30 minutes before the appetizer is served. Jonghyun’s eyes are red and he looks like he’s been crying. Taeyeon has changed her shoes to a pair of ballerinas instead of the high heels she was wearing when they left the hotel room. 

“You look happy,” Minho says and Kibum looks up and gets eye contact with him. 

“I am,” he says and nods. Minho sends him a kind smile and Kibum feels his heart swell. He may be married to the man he has been with for 10 years but he’s happy that everything worked out and he has three soulmates more besides him. He has never been so loved. He sniffles and realizes he’s about to cry. 

“I’m sorry,” he says and blinks to hold his tears back. Then he feels a weight on his back and looks over his shoulder to see Jinki. To every other guest Minho, Taeyeon and Jonghyun are their friends. Kibum doesn’t need people to know that he has multiple soulmates. 

“Hey babe, crying already?” Jinki asks and Taeyeon giggles. 

“I’ll go find Yoojin,” she says and hurries off. Kibum just scoffs and turns around in Jinki’s hold. 

“It’s my wedding day,” Kibum says and hears Jonghyun and Minho engage in conversation next to them. Jinki sends him a smile so wide Kibum is pretty sure he’s never seen a smile more outstanding or happier. 

“Let’s go find our table,” he says and drags Kibum with him. They’re sitting with Joon and his daughter and Nicole and her family. The photographer is there too, paid to take a lot of pictures of everything that happens at the ceremony. They deliberately placed Minho, Jonghyun, and Taeyeon around friends and family although Taeyeon is placed with Jongin and his girlfriend so she has someone she knows. Yoojin is placed at the children’s table but so far it seems like she has no trouble finding new friends. A pianist is playing soft music while they’re eating. 

Jinki’s father gets up to hold a speech between the appetizer and the main course and it has Jinki tearing up. Kibum just smiles while he squeezes his husband’s fingers. Kibum’s grandmother holds a short speech that has Kibum crying from laughter and embarrassment but he’s so happy that she’s here and that she’s healthy. 

While they are waiting for the main course a second time their guests start demanding that Kibum and Jinki kiss each other, knives clanging onto plates and it’s noisy so Kibum turns around, only to be surprised to find that Jinki has already locked their lips. They cheer and Kibum shrinks a little with all the attention on him as he kisses his husband but he doesn’t let go for another 5 seconds. There are loud chatter and wine bottles emptying as people make fun and jokes and games, trying to both embarrass them and show their love through silly events. 

When the dessert has been served Jinki gets up and onto the main stage where he talks to the pianist. The light dims a little and Kibum can feel his heart clenching at the sight of his husband there on stage, mic in hand. 

“Kibum, you’ve always told me you wanted to hear me really sing and I always declined, believing I wasn’t good enough. But today is a special day and today is a day I’ll never forget. So I want to sing for you. I love you.” Kibum is almost crying just when the pianist starts but when Jinki sings the first note there’s no way he can hold it in. The tears are streaming down his face even though he can’t take his eyes away from how absolutely stunning Jinki looks. Jinki’s voice is soft and soothing and everything he knew it would be and Kibum doesn’t understand how Jinki could have ever doubted himself. He’s pursing his lips so he doesn’t sob out loud but as soon as Jinki finishes he’s the one that claps the most. 

Jinki sends him a sheepish smile when he returns to the table and when he sees the tears on Kibum’s cheeks he removes them with a gentle thumb. Kibum doesn’t care about the tears, though. All he cares about is showing Jinki how much he loves him, so he leans in to press a kiss to his lips. 

A corner of the room is cleared later on and a small band that Jonghyun has recommended makes the stage theirs. People are mixing and dancing and having fun and Kibum laughs when Jinki pulls him onto the floor again for a dance. Jinki isn’t a dancer in any way but he’s Kibum’s and that’s all that is important. Minho taps him on the shoulder 2 minutes later and Kibum turns around. 

“May I?” he asks, mostly to Jinki and Jinki chuckles and leaves the dance floor so Kibum and Minho can dance to the same upbeat song. Kibum’s heart is beating faster in his chest when Taeyeon joins them and Minho leaves the dance floor. Taeyeon is a graceful dancer but she isn’t trying hard to be graceful when somebody finds a broom and the band changes the song to the limbo. Kibum is laughing while he too tries to go under the broom. Jinki falls first and Kibum kisses his hand better. The winner is Jungah, though, and Kibum retreats his table so he can find his glass and fill it with water. Jonghyun joins him laughing and reaches a hand out to pat Kibum’s shoulder. 

“Thanks,” he says and Kibum raises an eyebrow in question. 

“What for?” he asks but Jonghyun doesn’t answer. Instead, he leaves Kibum when he finds Songshin sitting at a table. The two talk for a while before Nana joins her girlfriend and Kibum smiles at the scene. Jonghyun leaves them a few seconds later only to wander aimlessly around, looking for someone to talk to when Kibum puts his hand on his shoulder. 

“Stay with me for a while.” They’re sitting at a table, enjoying their drinks while they observe the guests. There are polaroid cameras spread out around the venue and Jonghyun has grabbed one and is now turning it around in his hand. Kibum sips from his glass and tilts his head. “Take a picture of us,” he says and puts the glass behind him on the table. Jonghyun looks up with a confused expression. 

“Eh?” he says and Kibum nods a little. 

“Come on, you’re going to take pictures for the guestbook anyway, everybody is.” 

“Oh, is that what they’re for?” Jonghyun asks and Kibum nods a little and scoots closer to his soulmate. 

“Yeah, it says so on the table with the guestbook. I’m guessing you haven’t read that.” Kibum smiles at Jonghyun and Jonghyun shrugs a little before he closes the distance between them and lifts the camera up so he can take a selfie of them. They’re off-center when the polaroid finally shows itself and Kibum laughs a little. Jinki finds them with a red kiss mark on his cheek. 

“What happened to you?” Kibum asks as he looks at Jinki. Jinki looks around like he has been chased to the corner. Jonghyun snickers a little. 

“Min decided you weren’t in the room so she kissed me,” he says and Kibum laughs out loud. That’s definitely something Min would have done. Min have her own traditions but they all know that there’s nothing in the red lipstick on Jinki’s cheek. Min’s boyfriend must have approved before she did something like that anyway. 

“I should’ve had red lipstick so I could plant my kiss on your cheek as well,” Kibum says and pulls Jinki into the chair Jonghyun has just vacated. 

“You’re welcome to kiss me without the lipstick,” Jinki says and wiggles his eyebrows. Kibum scoffs but leans in anyway. Their lips barely touch before a flash blinds them. Woohyun smiles cheekily from behind the camera and waves the picture when it’s printed. 

“You two should kiss more,” Woohyun says and Kibum waves his hand at his friend before he turns back to Jinki and places a hand on his cheek so he can lean in again. This time he’s not fazed with the flash that obscures his vision and he closes his eyes so he can fall into Jinki’s touch. Jinki is holding him close, pulling him towards him and Kibum climbs into his lap without breaking their kiss. 

They first stop when they hear Doojoon behind them ask his boyfriend Yoseob why he isn’t kissing him like Kibum is kissing Jinki. Kibum breaks into laughter when Yoseob answers that it’s because Doojoon hasn’t proposed yet even though they have a son. Kibum stays in Jinki’s lap even though they’re just observing their guests. Sometimes people come to talk to them, Jinki’s cousin Junsu stays with them for quite a long time and only leaves when Kibum’s cousin Soram comes over to join them. She leaves early because she has work Sunday afternoon and Kibum gets off of Jinki’s lap to hug her and Jinki gets off the chair so he too can hug her. Kibum hurries across the floor when he finds Nicole’s husband with their son in his arms. Kibum gently lets his hand pet the boy’s cheek and the boy looks at him wide-eyed. 

“Hey,” he says. The boy has been asleep for most of the wedding in the small room where they waited before they walked up the aisle. “Finally awake?” he asks and Nicole’s husband sighs a little. 

“Why is he always awake at night?” he says and Kibum chuckles. 

“Oh, come on, Daesung should join the festivities, right?” He directs the ‘right’ at the baby boy who curls and uncurls his hands around air. He’s a cute boy. Kibum isn’t sure he wants kids of his own but he definitely thinks Nicole and Changmin should have more kids. Daesung needs a sibling. The first time he had mentioned that both of them had groaned and shot down the idea but Kibum knows they’re probably going to try as soon as Daesung gets a little older. 

Minho meets them with a sleepy Yoojin in tow and asks if she can borrow his hotel room to take a short nap. Changmin looks after them and leans closer to Kibum to ask if that is one of his soulmates. Kibum just sends him a smile but doesn’t answer the question. It’s not a secret to them that he has multiple soulmates, something like that couldn’t be kept away from Nicole anyway, but he has never introduced Minho, Taeyeon or Jonghyun to them. He would prefer if it stayed that way. 

It’s not because he’s afraid they would tell somebody else but he likes it when they’re his and only his. He can share in their small group of five and he isn’t going to stop them from getting new friends but he isn’t going to introduce themselves. It’s his small secret. 

The guests start to leave around 4 in the morning and Jinki decides it’s on time that he brings Kibum with him to the hotel room so they can share the night together as newly-wed. They had decided to stay until the guests started leaving because neither of them wanted to miss anything of their party but now that most are gone or has retreated to hotel rooms they have rented at the hotel, Jinki has grabbed Kibum’s hand and is sneaking him away from the venue and into the elevator that will take them to Kibum’s room. 

Kibum sneaks a glance at Jinki in the elevator and feels his heart beat of happiness in his chest. He has a hard time believing they’re actually married. They meet Minho carrying Yoojin in the hallway and Jinki smiles at him before he tugs Kibum with him again. Kibum barely gets to close the door to his hotel room before Jinki is kissing him. 

It’s different from the kisses they have shared all day, hungrier but also more passionate. It fills Kibum with love, not lust and it has him wrapping his arms around Jinki’s neck as he clings to his husband. When Jinki lets go, Kibum smirks. 

“Impatient,” he says and Jinki shuts him up with another kiss. Kibum is going to enjoy the rest of their night. 

 

“What are you doing?” Jonghyun asks and yawns into his hands. Minho leans over him and looks into the camera. 

“What have you seen so far?” he asks. Yoojin pops onto the screen, Dangun around her shoulders. 

“Hey Kibum, hey Jinki! Tae says you should go climbing when you’re there!” Taeyeon protests off-camera and demands that Yoojin puts Dangun into his enclosure or she’s not going to get near the computer screen. Kibum just chuckles and pulls Jinki into the frame as well. Their fingers are linked and Jinki is sipping his coffee. 

“Is it beautiful?” asks Jonghyun and Kibum nods. 

“Thank you so much, this is the best honeymoon I could’ve ever wished for.” Taeyeon snorts still off camera and mumbles something that has both Jonghyun and Minho breaking into laughter. Jinki leans his head on Kibum’s shoulder and Kibum turns around to press a kiss to his temple. 

“You should send a postcard, Yoojin keeps talking about how she wants to go climbing in Switzerland,” Jonghyun says. Kibum looks at the camera. 

“But we did send a postcard?” he says and Yoojin turns to get eye contact with her father. 

“I’m checking the mailbox!” she says and Jonghyun calls out ‘Dangun’ to remind her of the snake that is still resting around her neck. Taeyeon joins the two men in the frame and waves to Jinki and Kibum. 

“I hope you’re doing well,” she says and Jinki nods a little and takes another sip of his coffee. 

“But why are you calling?” Minho asks after they have talked 5 minutes about Bern and Switzerland. 

“He misses you,” Jinki says offhandedly and Kibum squeezes his hand so hard that Jinki hisses and releases him. Jonghyun coos from the other side of the screen. Kibum glares at him but it turns soft within seconds. He misses them. All of them. He loves being with Jinki only but he can’t wait to get home and be with all of them again. When they hang up Kibum lifts his hand to look at his wedding band and the engraved words. 

 

_no, nevermind, i love you_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!  
> I've got a lot of notes for this story that isn't actually /in/ the story but just meh. >.


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